Bleach: After the War
by Minielf
Summary: The Winter War is over and Aizen has won. Soul Society is in ruins, Karakura Town obliterated. Four years later the survivors of the Gotei 13 and Karakura plan in secret, hoping one day to take back Soul Society and overthrow Aizen, who has become king.
1. Chapter 1: A Shinigami's Job

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Chapter 1: A Shinigami's job

"KON! Stop the loud music!" Kurosaki Ichigo shouted. The target of his abuse was a small, stuffed lion plush doll with stitches everywhere. Nothing was unusual about

this doll except for the fact that it could move, talk and even feel pain. It also liked loud music and peeping at girls.

"Why should I? I have to drive this car as often as you do! Besides, this is my favourite song! Ooh yeah, ooh yeah, ooh-"Ichigo knocked him out with the his spiritual badge. A tiny green ball dropped out of the plush doll's mouth. Ichigo picked it up and placed it in his pocket. This was Kon's true form, for Kon was a mod soul, which Ichigo had obtained when he had just begun his career as a Shinigami. In a strange way, he was Ichigo's best friend, for he knew Ichigo, and his body, more than any other person. The streets of Tokyo were abuzz with activity. Not just normal human activity, but countless spirits as well. Since Karakura Town's destruction, the locus of spirit power in the real world had shifted into the metropolis itself. As a result, every day in the city was a chaotic mess. All of the sudden, Ichigo's car radio came to life.

"Kurosaki-san, is that you?" the voice on the radio asked.

"Yeah, I'm here Mizuiro. What have you got?"

"There's a disturbance in the downtown alley district, sector 15. Keigo's already on the scene, but you know what to expect with him.'

"Of course. Keigo's such a doofus he's likely to cause a big mess. I'll be there as soon as possible." Ichigo stepped on the pedal. Mizuiro and Keigo were two of his classmates when he was still in Karakura High. They had long followed in his shadow, in awe and sometimes terror at his accomplishments. Naturally enough, they followed him when he joined the police academy. Fifteen minutes later he arrived at the alley district. There was a crowd of people about, all screaming frantically. The intersection of the two streets was completely gridlocked with cars. In the middle of it all was hapless Keigo, frantically waving about and directing traffic, as the lights had all gone out. He stopped at the street side and got out.

"Hey Keigo! What's up?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh hey, Ichigo. I'm just directing the traffic."

"I can see that ya dumbass. Just tell me what's really going on!" Keigo was about to raise his finger. He didn't need to. A sudden loud explosion nearby caught Ichigo's attention. He saw it. It was a hollow. A huge hollow. Some sort of menos, with tentacles flying everywhere. Ichigo sighed. It always had to be a modified hollow or a Gillian clone. Sometimes he became sick and tired of it. He wished for a change just to go back to killing low level hollows again. He plucked Kon from his pocket and gulped it down his throat. In an instant he was separated from his body and into his Shinigami robes.

"Kon! Go help Keigo with the traffic!" he shouted.

"Okay, but be quick! I hate doing your dirty work!" Kon teased. Ichigo grumbled and jumped into the sky. With a swish of his wrist he unsheathed Zangetsu and prepared to face the hollow. He glanced down at the crowd of people below. He noticed that there were several plus souls amongst the living humans. This was going to be trouble. Normal humans couldn't see him, but the souls definitely could. He didn't have time to deal with it, for upon seeing him the hollow immediately started up a cero. In a reflex he raised Zangetsu and blocked the beam as it hit him. Cancelling or deflecting the cero was dangerous, so he continued to block it until the hollow stopped firing. He then flash-stepped in front of the hollow and sliced through its head. It dissipated with the trademark hollow scream.

On the ground, there was much confusion over what just happened. Many people swore they had seen a large monster and a black-robed samurai in the air, and some claimed that a large missile had exploded in the air above them. Kon and Keigo weren't having much success controlling traffic, as almost all of the cars in the intersection had stopped to see what was going on. Ichigo landed on the pavement and walked over to the first plus soul he saw. It was a middle-aged man. He was sitting on the ground and shivering from head to toe. His soul chain had been half eaten away. He screamed as soon as he saw Ichigo.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you," Ichigo said, as he raised Zangetsu over his head.

"What…What are you doing?" the soul asked.

"I'm sending you to the afterlife. You'll be better there. You won't be in danger from the hollows," Ichigo said. Although in his heart, he knew in some ways he was lying. He had no idea what Soul Society was like at the moment. As soon as he pressed the seal on the soul's head, he had no control over its fate. He repeated the Konso process for all of the souls in the vicinity. Then he walked over the Kon and knocked him out. He returned to his body and placed the green pill into the plush doll.

"Ow! I told you to handle me with care!" Kon yelled.

"Sorry, I'll try to next time," Ichigo said. He placed Kon back in the car and went back to help Keigo direct the traffic. A while later more police cars, the ambulance, the fire department and repair crews arrived to survey the damage.

"Ichigo!" Mizuiro called out soon as he stopped his police car.

"Hey Mizuiro! You missed out on all the action," Ichigo laughed. Mizuiro inspected the area all around.

"Seeing the damage you caused, I'm glad I missed it. What happened here? Looks like a bomb went off."

"It was a hollow, a large one." Mizuiro's eyes narrowed. He and Keigo were both able to sense spirits, as a result of being touched by Ichigo's enormous reiatsu. Memories of the war still haunted them greatly. Horrific images of destruction, of women and children being raped, of people literally reduced to dust.

"Man, the sixth attack in two months. What do you think Ichigo? Are they planning another attack?"

"Who knows?" Ichigo looked up at the sky. "I scarcely think that god cares about any of us right now, whether we live or die is beneath his concern." Someone Mizuiro was amused by this quip.

"That's a strange view about god that you have," Mizuiro laughed.

"I know, but the sad thing is, it's the truth." Ichigo sighed. It had been a long day. He wanted to get back home.

* * *

This is the first chapter of the story. I apologize if it sounds rushed. Most of the good stuff happens in the next few chapters.

Any reviews, suggestions please? Feel free to give me any ideas, especially with pairings. IchiRuki is guaranteed.


	2. Chapter 2: Death and Strawberry

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Synopsis so far: Ichigo left high school aftert the war and enlisted in the Tokyo police academy along with Keigo and Mizuiro. He graduated within two years and is now working full time, as a police officer and as a shinigami. He devotes his time to saving both the living and the dead.

Chapter 2: Death and Strawberry

In a small, inner city house, small raven-haired woman was cooking dishes. Steam rose from the stoves and the frying pan crackled with oil. The woman wiped some of the sweat off her brow. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost time. Sure enough the front door of the house swung open.

"Rukia!" a loud male voice called out. The woman sighed in frustration.

Staying at home and cooking meals for a man she wasn't even sure she loved was not something Kuchiki Rukia had ever imagined doing. Yet circumstances had forced her into his role. Had she been just an ordinary human, she might have gotten used to it. Even if she looked like a teenage girl, it still would have been a typical happy relationship with an ordinary man. But Rukia wasn't an ordinary women. She had lived for over a hundred and fifty years, and her face bore all the mental and physical scars she had experienced during that time. She finished preparing dinner just as Ichigo stepped into the kitchen.

"Nee-san!!" Kon squealed as he tried to latch onto Rukia's bosom. She hin slammed against a cupboard. "Ah your punches are as hard as ever." The plush doll fell to the ground. Rukia looked up and saw Ichigo, his clothes all dirty and worn out.

"What happened? Did you have a bad day?" she frowned.

"Yeah, a menos-level hollow showed up in the downtown district. I dispatched it easily, but the clean-up was a mess." Ichigo scratched his head. "Those heads at the police department are going to be pissed off at me."

"Serves you right," Rukia said. She laid out rice, raw salmon, spring vegetables and stir-fried beef on the table. "We're supposed to not draw attention to ourselves. You know that Aizen still watches the real world closely."

"Yeah I know, but there's so many dead souls about. Ever since the war Tokyo's become the hotbed of spiritual activity. We can't just ignore them and let them become prey to the hollows."

"What choice do we have? Soul Society is a mess right now. Nii-sama and the other surviving captains have tried getting contact with it but haven't had success. Who knows what would happen to the souls if we send them there?"

Ichigo said nothing. He knew that Rukia was correct. The image of a peaceful afterlife where dead people could live in happiness was perhaps an illusion that never existed in the first place, and if it did, Aizen had shattered it forever. They ate in silence, the three of them, Ichigo, Rukia and Kon, looking much like an ordinary couple. Ichigo and Rukia exchanged glances with each other, and then with Kon, who staring like a pervert at Rukia.

"You know what Rukia, it still feels strange. The two of us, and Kon being together in this house. It's almost like we're..."

"I know what you're going to say," Rukia glared. "Don't get any ideas. If this is how being a couple feels like then I'd rather stay single for the rest of my life! Even if I live to be a thousand!" Ichigo felt a mood of coldness descend around the entire room. He shivered. Rukia's icy words were just her brother's. Then again, he wondered what she was thinking of him right now. Dinner ended without either of them saying a word to each other. Rukia washed the dishes in disgust whilst Ichigo slumped onto his bed. Kon was left watching both with a confused look on his face.

* * *

"Stupid Rukia," Ichigo sulked as he stood in the shower. He was still unable to expressing his feelings about her in a coherent way. She meant so many things to him. She was the person had opened the doorway to his power, and given him the opportunity to become what he was. He had stormed and fought the entire Soul Society, just to save her. In many ways she understood him more than any other person in the world, and somehow, he understood her better than any other person. Yet he was heart was still torn about her. Did he love her? He wasn't sure that what he felt about her was love. Their shared circumstances had drawn them together, but he was smart enough to know that emotions, relationships and attachments were things that didn't go so well in the Soul Society. Despite the amount of time he had spent as a Shinigami, he was still a human at heart; he didn't think he was worthy of being with Rukia.

Ichigo glanced down at his body. Battered a bruised by numerous battles, he had born many scars. Two in particular had been etched deep in his memory. There was a scar that ran directly along the naval and a scar right above his chest. He touched them both, and memories of what had caused the scar flashed back to him…

_The blade had gone directly through his gut. It had been so quick that Ichigo didn't even know what had hit him, whether the strike had come from in front or behind. Ouch, this hurts, he thought. He lost his balance and started to tumble over._

_"You are slow. Even when falling," a cold voice, Byakuya spoke._

_"Nii-sama!" Rukia shouted. He was stabbed again, this time through both the heart and the gut. He fell onto the ground. For a while, all he could was to hear what was going on._

_"Nii-sama don't hurt him anymore! He's suffered enough!" he heard Rukia protest._

_"What Rukia? What are you doing? He's basically dead now!"_

_"After all that he's done and the crime you've committed so far, you still wish to protect this boy?" Byakuya_ _asked. "I see… he very much resembles 'him'." Ichigo suddenly opened his eyes and gripped the leg of Rukia's brother._

_"I'm basically dead? I resemble 'him'? Why don't you say those things straight to my face!" he shouted._

_"I see…you must not want that hand of yours." Ichigo felt a powerful kick that knocked his arm away._

_"Know your place boy! How dare you touch my brother! Nii-sama, this boy's actions have brought Kuchiki Rukia to her senses. I am ready to return to Soul Society to receive my punishment." Ichigo stared at her in shock. What was she doing? Why was she leaving like this?_

_"Hey, Rukia, where are you going? Answer me!" he tried to crawl with his arms._

_"Don't move!" Rukia shouted. "If you take one more step, if you try to come after me…I will never forgive you!" She stared at him for a while, before following her brother and Renji through the gate. The last image Ichigo ever saw was of her face vanishing into thin air…_

The memory of that night was still as vivid as ever. That was when Rukia became more than just a friend or accomplice. She had become someone he would sacrifice his life in order to save. Yet as to why he felt that way, he had absolutely no clue.

Ichigo stepped out of the shower and quickly got dressed into his pajamas. He saw that Rukia had finished cleaning up and was sitting on the bed.

"What took you so long? You were in the shower for almost twenty minutes!" she scolded.

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought," Ichigo said in a halting voice. Rukia shoved him aside and slammed the bathroom door shut. Ichigo fell onto the bed again and lay on his arms.

* * *

"Stupid Ichigo," Rukia grumbled as she undressed. She had put shampoo into the bathtub and filled it to the top with hot water. Grabbing a Chappy bath towel, soap and a rubber ducky, she eased herself into the tub. The hot water was extremely relaxing, and eased the many aches and pains in her body. Although she stayed at home most of the time, that didn't stop her from becoming a Shinigami and killing the hollows around the area. Ichigo was still someone she had trouble expressing her feelings. He was the person whom she had formed the closest emotional attachment to. Of all the men she had encountered in her life so far, none had touched her heart as deeply. Renji had been her earliest childhood friend, but he became jealous and estranged when she was adopted into the Kuchiki family. Her brother cared for her deeply, but he was so caught up in his grief over her sister Hisana's death that he never spoke or even looked at her. Kaien was the first person she admired and felt attachment too, but in the end it was a one-sided relationship that ended in tragedy.

Thinking about Kaien-dono made Rukia remember the most painful scar she had ever received. She looked down at the three extremely deep cuts that were still visible around her navel. She touched the scar and recalled the injury that had almost killed her…

_"Kaien-dono…" Rukia whispered as she stared at the monstrously grotesque blob that was advancing towards her. "I'm sorry. Because I killed you, your body fell into the hands of hollows. I killed you in order to save myself_._ Afterwards, I kept thinking to myself that by killing you, I had saved your soul from being consumed by hollows. But it seems I was wrong about that as well." A tentacle slapped her into the air._

_"I no longer have the strength left to swing my sword against you...goodbye, Kaien-dono" The trident smashed against her blade. In an instant the blade snapped and the trident penetrated her body. She fell into darkness. Her life was slipping away. But then she remembered a voice, Kaien's voice, calling out to her, his words as clear to her as they were when he had first said them._

_"Do not die alone Kuchiki," she remembered him say. "When we die, our bodies disintegrate and become part of Soul Society itself. But where do our hearts go? Pass your heart onto others. As long as you pass it onto your nakama, your heart will live on. So don't die alone Kuchiki…" She then recalled the words he had said when she killed him: "Thanks Kuchiki. Thanks to you, I can leave my heart here…."_

Rukia snapped out of the trance. She shivered. Those past memories were still too painful for her to bear. Yet Kaien's words to her kept on appearing in her mind. _Pass your heart to your nakama_. Had she passed her heart to anyone yet? Kaien-dono had passed on his heart to her, but she couldn't think of anyone that she had even shared her heart with. Renji, Rangiku, and the other Shinigami who she had spent a lot of time with, they were nothing more than comrades and colleagues. As for the friends she had made in the real world, like Orihime, Sado and Ishida, they were far too different from her to ever be able to understand her fully. Byakuya Nii-sama and her former superior, Ukitake, they felt like fatherly figures that had guided and protected her. Rukia could only think of one person who had touched her heart, and that person was somebody she didn't want to get close to.

* * *

Ichigo felt the bathroom door open. He opened his eyes and saw Rukia stepping out in a white dressing gown.

"It's about time. You were in the bath for almost half an hour. Did you have a deep reflection like I did?" he asked. Rukia blushed.

"It's none of your business to ask what I was doing in there," she stammered.

"Fine, be that way," Ichigo mumbled. "Telling me off for taking too long to shower when she was in the bath for longer than I was." Rukia twitched at Ichigo's words, but she made no response. They slept on opposite sides of the bed, so far apart that they did not touch each other. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

* * *

Notes: Very IchiRuki centric chapter. Their relationship is still the same as before, but I'm planning on developing it further. Some may notice that I've taken two scenes directly out of the manga, but I felt it was necessary to show them again. Next chapter I'm going to show what has happened to other characters who have survived the war. More reviews and feedback please. I'm more than welcome to take suggestions.


	3. Chapter 3: Red Dog Shoten

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Summary so far: Ichigo and Rukia are hiding amongst the average citizens of Tokyo, pretending to be a typical couple. The strains between them are evident however, and both recall painful memories of the traumas they have suffered.

Chapter 3: Red Dog Shoten

The next morning, Ichigo woke up early and got dressed. He hastily ate two pieces of bread and a glass of milk. Just as he was finished eating, Rukia entered the kitchen.

"Hey, you're sure up earlier than usual," Ichigo said. Rukia yawned.

"I have to go visit Nii-sama today. He wanted to discuss some issues with me, and I have to get my money off him," Rukia said.

"Heh, leeching off your brother eh? What is he now? A Zaibatsu magnate?" Ichigo laughed. Rukia suddenly slapped him in the face.

"Shut up! It's not like I get any money from you!" she scolded. "Anyway you'd better hurry or else you'll be late for work." Ichigo mumbled beneath his breath and grabbed his bag and Kon, who had been left lying on the carpet of the lounge room.

"Ouch! What's the matter with you? I haven't done anything!" Kon protested. Ichigo took no notice of the plush doll's complaints. Rukia heard the front door slam shut. She sighed as she made breakfast.

* * *

"Good morning Kurosaki-san!" Mizuiro, cheerful as ever, greeted Ichigo and Kon when they showed up at the central police station.

"Yeah hi Mizuiro," Ichigo said. He looked around. "Where's Keigo?"

"Um, he's got some issues at the moment. I'll tell you later. First though, we've got a problem. The chief wants us to transport a very dangerous prisoner. He's broken out of the local jail seven times, and the higher ups said he needs to be placed into a maximum security prison."

"Gosh, he must be scary. What is he, a murderer?" Ichigo asked.

"You could say that I suppose…I'll show you him." Mizuiro led Ichigo and Kon through the police station, passing by the general offices. They stopped for a moment when Kon suddenly ogled a big breasted female sergeant. Ichigo had to knock him out of the plush doll. Finally, after losing their bearing and going backwards more than once, they finally made it to the most heavily guarded cell in the entire headquarters.

Mizuiro greeted the special officers guarding the cell. They were armed with M16 assault riffles and tear gas. Mizuiro showed him his authorization, and he and Ichigo were allowed through. They stopped at cell eleven.

"Well, this is it. The prisoner I'm talking about is in this cell," Mizuiro said. He unlocked the viewing slot, and motioned Ichigo to peer inside. As soon as Ichigo glanced into the cell, he almost had a heart attack. Sitting on a plain bench, dressed in raggedly white clothing, was the unmistakable figure of Zaraki Kenpachi, still with the eye patch on.

"Kenpachi!" Ichigo exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" Upon hearing his voice, Kenpachi laughed like a madman.

"Is that you Ichigo? I'd never though I'd see you again," he answered. "So what am I doing here? Well let's just say I got bored staying in this stupid gigai all the time and ended up getting into one too many fights." Ichigo slapped his boy. _Oh boy, classic Kenpachi. I feel for the goons he slaughtered_.

"It's funny though. I didn't even have my sword with me yet I still beat the crap out of them. Needless to say though, Kuchiki and Captain Mom weren't happy about what I did. They forbid me to use any further force. So I gave myself up and was sent into the slammer. I don't really give a damn though; the maggot's nest in Seireitei was a lot worse than any of the jails here. The only problem I had was that Yachiru wasn't with me. I had to make sure she was alright, so I got out of the stupid prison and sent her to Captain Mom to look after. Of course, I could easily beat up every single damn police guy here, but what's the fun in that?"

"Well then, thanks for your spiel Kenpachi. I hope you're having fun in there, because soon you're going to be transported to maximum security" Ichigo said. He was about to turn away when Kenpachi said something.

"Hey Ichigo, if you see Yachiru, Ikkaku, or Yumichika, tell them their captain says hi."

"Um, okay." Ichigo motioned to Mizuiro to close the slot. Mizuiro gave him a very weird look.

"What's going on? You sounded like you knew this guy."

"Yeah I do. It's a very long story, but the shorter version of it has to do with my 'other' job."

"Oh," Mizuiro suddenly paused. He himself had gotten involved in Soul Society business along with Keigo and had witnessed Karakura Town's destruction. "So, what is he actually? He doesn't really sound like any hardened criminal I know of."

"Well, he's one of the 'higher-ups', those guys with the white cloaks," Ichigo said.

"You mean like that Sandal-hat guy?" Mizuiro suddenly remembered Urahara.

"Yeah, he was one of them too. There's about six of them all around Tokyo, acting like normal civilians, and most of their subordinates are with them. You know the boss of Sakura Corporation?"

"Of course I know him! Some said he became a billionaire in four years! All of my girlfriends want to marry him." When Mizuiro said that, Ichigo laughed. The image of Byakuya with one of Mizuiro's girls was too funny.

:"Well that guy, he's one of the white cloak people too." Mizuiro gasped. But before he could say something, Keigo entered the cell area.

"Hey guys, what are you doing? I thought you were supposed to transport the prisoner," he said.

"We were just about to," Ichigo said. He glanced at Keigo and noticed his friend had two enormous bags under his eyes. "Man, are you alright? You look like you haven't slept for days." Keigo yawned.

"You're right, I haven't had a proper night's sleep for almost a week. My sister is a getting married," his statement stunned Ichigo and Mizuiro.

"Your sister Mizuho? Who's the person she's marrying?" Mizuiro asked.

"Some bald guy with a wooden sword. His name is Ikkaku."

"IKKAKU?!" Ichigo was shocked. "Are you serious? Since when were they a couple?" All of the sudden Ichigo heard Kenpachi laughing from his cell.

"Um, well, they met on the first night after those hollow things attacked Karakura Town. I found him all bloodied and beaten up so I took him home along with his pretty-boy friend. My sister adores bald guys, so naturally enough it was love at first sight. They didn't see each other again for months, but after our town got blown up the baldy and his friend winded up back here, and ever since then he's lived with my sister." Keigo sighed deeply. "I've pretty much been kicked out of my house by him and his pretty-boy friend."

Despite the vague and unclear nature of Keigo's rant, Ichigo knew full well what he was speaking of. Obviously Ikkaku had fought one of Grimmjow's Fraccion during the 'Night of the Sledgehammer' and he and Yumichika had bumped into Keigo. He didn't know much about his sister, but from what he gathered she was quite the dominatrix.

"I see. So when is the wedding?' Ichigo asked.

"In ten days' time, in the gardens next to the Yakasuni Shrine," Keigo replied. "Are you two coming?"

"Of course," both Ichigo and Mizuiro agreed.

* * *

Rukia stood at the entrance to the head office block of Sakura Corporation. The giant conglomerate was one of Japan's largest companies and its stocks were growing rapidly. The Shinjuku ward was the major financial and commercial business in Tokyo, and naturally enough it was bustling with businessmen. Rukia felt like a girl, alone amongst a sea of people. She entered the front lobby of the building and asked the people at the front counter to see her brother. When asked of his name, she said: "Kuchiki Byakuya." The front counter people gasped.

"He's the CEO of the corporation! Are you sure he knows you personally?" they asked. Rukia nodded.

"Yes. He knows me very well," she replied. They accepted her explanation and showed her to the lifts. She rode them up fifty stories to the very top of the building. Then, she was directed along a corridor until she reached the CEO's office. The person who had accompanied Rukia knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Rukia heard her brother's voice.

"I'm just a lowly manager, but I've got a special visitor who wants to see you," the man replied. The doors were unlocked and the man showed her inside.

"Kuchiki-sama, this lady here wants to see you." When Byakuya's eyes saw Rukia, he was both surprised and happy.

"You may leave us," he said. The manager left the office. Byakuya motioned Rukia to sit down on the seat in front of his desk.  
"Were you expecting me, Nii-sama?" Rukia asked.

"I was. I didn't think you'd come so quickly, considering we haven't seen each other for nearly four years," Byakuya said. "Nevertheless, I have some important things to tell you."

"What are they, Nii-sama?" Byakuya pulled out bundle of documents and showed them to Rukia.

"These are photocopies of reports made by the scouts we have sent on reconnaissance missions to Soul Society. Only half made it back. Their findings show that the defenses around Seireitei are rather weak. The other members of the Gotei 13 who weren't send to Hueco Mundo or the fake Karakura Town are still alive, and I believe are being kept imprisoned." Rukia studied the reports carefully, and noted many familiar names, such as Izuru Kira, Hinamori Momo, Shuhei Hisagi and Ise Nanao.

"But if they're being imprisoned, then who is running Seireitei?" she asked.

"That is the question isn't it? At this stage we do not have a clear idea what forces are in control of Seireitei, but I do believe that members of the Royal Guard have come down from the King's Realm."

"The Royal Guard?" Rukia was confused. She had heard legendary stories about these mythical, near divine beings that no Shinigami had ever seen. Their powers were rumored to be beyond even the mightiest captain.

"Has Aizen sent them down to control Soul Society?" she asked.

"It's likely he has," Byakuya replied. "But whether they are actually dictating policies or are following a puppet Central 46 is something that is impossible to judge. Nevertheless, the other captains and vice-captains are studying the reports in detail and planning for a counter-invasion of Soul Society as we speak. If everything goes to plan, we should be able to penetrate the defenses of Seireitei and free the trapped members of the Gotei 13, hopefully inciting an uprising that will overthrow Aizen's forces. However, this plan requires the crucial involvement of Kurosaki Ichigo, and thus I need you to show him these reports."

"Why though? Is Ichigo important to the plan?"

"Yes. The fact is, he is now a top-tier captain class in power and one of the strongest fighters we have. We can't afford to send everybody in one go to attack Soul Society. Aizen may anticipate a strike and mount an offensive here. We need to keep a large portion of our forces back to defend this city in case it comes under attack. The strike force has to be small enough not to attract too much attention at first, but powerful enough to force its way through. Hence having someone who previously led an attack on soul society to command the attack force is essential."

"I see, Nii-sama." Rukia recalled the damage that Ichigo alone had caused during his first mad break-in to rescue her. The fact he had succeeded in rescuing her and causing disruption amongst the Gotei 13 at the height of their power meant a repeat invasion now, when Soul Society was all but devastated, would have a great chance of succeeding.

"I'll do it Nii-sama, I'll go and tell Ichigo about it," she said with a renewed sense of confidence.

"Give the message to Renji as well. He and his friends in that store of his may not have read over their messages yet," Byakuya said.

"Where is he though? I haven't seen him in years." Byakuya showed Rukia a card. On it there was a destination, and a name: "Red Dog Shoten."

"Renji's running a shop here along with Captain Hitsugaya and Vice Captain Matusmoto. Captain Soifon and Commander of the Stealth Force Shihouin Yoruichi are staying with them." Rukia was taken aback at the concentration of such powerful figures gathered in one place. It made her painfully aware of how weak she still was. She said goodbye to Byakuya and left the building.

* * *

"So Ichigo, where are we heading next?" Kon asked as they departed the general police headquarters. Kenpachi had been placed in a heavily armored police van for transport to the nearest maximum security prison. He actually looked happy to be moved there; or at least that's what Ichigo assumed. Maybe he was just laughing at the thought of Ikkaku getting married. They passed by the office buildings owned by the Sakura Corporation. Just as they stopped at a red light, Ichigo spotted Rukia running towards them. She opened the front passenger's door and Kon leaped at her.

"Nee-san!" he cried. She punched him into the rear window.

"Ichigo, let's go to Renji's place," she said.

"Um, okay, but do you know where he lives? He hasn't contacted us since we went into hiding four years ago," Ichigo said.

"I know, I know. Nii-sama gave me one of Renji's business cards. His shop is in Kabukicho, the red light district." Rukia handed the card to Ichigo. Mention of the district brought images of strip clubs, night clubs and love hotels to his mind.

"Oh boy, I seriously wonder what Renji's become."

"Indeed so do I. He's not alone either. Mastumoto, Hitsugaya, Yoruichi and Soifon are with him." Ichigo's face suddenly a bright red. _Oh man, those four would absolutely love that place_.

"So, what are we going to do once we get there? Is there any special reason for seeing them, even though we haven't had since now?"

"Yes there is. Nii-sama gave me the reports that the scouts who infiltrated Soul Society brought back. I want you to study them carefully, because you've been picked to lead the counter attack!" Rukia exclaimed. Ichigo moaned.

"Why me? Why do I have to do all the dirty work?" he complained.

"Oh? You had no reservations when you broke into Soul Society the first time to rescue my ass, even though I didn't want it. Doing it the second time should be a breeze," Rukia teased him in a sarcastic accent.

"Fine then, I'll do it. And I did it the first because I had a legitimate reason. I'll need to read these reports over before I can be convinced of a good reason to go," Ichigo said. Just then, a thought came into his head. "Oh yeah, there's something else we should tell them about. Ikkaku's getting married."

"What?" Rukia asked in surprise. "Since when was he-?"

"I know what you're going to say. He's been in a relationship with Keigo's sister. They met after Grimmjow's invasion. Remember that?"

"I do. Does anyone else know about it?"

"It's just the three of us and Kenpachi at this stage."

Ichigo and Rukia drove around the crowded streets of Shinjuku, navigating their way to the seedy slums of Kabukicho. The name 'Red Dog Shoten' gave off a distinctive image in Ichigo's mind, but that didn't help them recognizing the shop front from all the other shops that filled the place. Fortunately though, they managed to find the shop pretty soon. Ichigo found an unlimited parking spot on the side of the road. He, Rukia and Kon got out and walked up to the shop. The shop front was, to the say the least, quite weird. A large sign hung above a nondescript entrance with the kanji "Red Dog Shoten" written above it. At the end of it was a picture of a Saint Bernard dog dressed in red hood clothes and smoking a cigar.

"Geez, this place looks even crappier than the old Urahara Shoten," Ichigo said.

"It's not surprising. I'd expect someone coming from Inuzuri to have conjured up a dwelling like this on his own," Rukia smirked. They walked though the door. Inside was a fairly large shop front with a variety of curious products. Some contraptions were clearly recognizable as Soul Society objects, such as various Gikongan soul candy dispensers, spirit cell phones and even 'latex gigai'. There was a bespectacled girl at the counter, who was reading a Shoujo manga.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were waiting," she hastily put the manga away. "So what can I do for you customers?"

"We want to see Abarai Renji," Rukia demanded.

"The owner? I'm afraid he's busy at the moment."

"We don't care! Just tell him to out as soon as possible!" The counter girl rushed madly inside. A short while later a familiar voice could be heard.

"Who would be wanting to see me in person?" the figure of Abarai Renji asked just as he saw Rukia and Ichigo. His eyes widened in surprise. Ichigo was taken aback by his look. He was wearing the standard street punk clothes he had always worn since coming to the real world, but now he had a large furry coat draped over his shoulders. His trademark bandana was still there, but now he had a pair of chic sunglasses on. And he was carrying a pimp cane in his right hand.

"Ichigo! Rukia! What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Coming to see you. We have business to discuss," Rukia answered.

"Why don't you two lovebirds come inside? The others are waiting," Renji smiled. Rukia and Ichigo were not amused at being called 'lovebirds'. They followed Renji through a narrow passageway and down a flight of stairs. Renji unlocked the door in front of them and directed them inside. The passageway opened up into a fairly spacious lounge and dining room area that was rather cluttered with tons of rubbish and stuff strew about the floor. Sitting on the couch watching TV were the familiar figures of Mastumoto Rangiku and Hitsugaya Toshiro.

"Hey, guess who's come over for a visit?" Renji said to them. They turned around and their eyes widened in surprise.

"Ichigo! Rukia! Long time no see!" Rangiku shouted.

"Hi there Rangiku, Toshiro," Ichigo replied. Hitsugaya was ticked off.

"It's Captain Hitsugaya!" he yelled.

"Now, now, don't get worked up captain," Renji said. "We have to pretend that we're a husband and wife and you're our son."

"What did you say?" Rukia was confused. So was Ichigo. Renji just smiled.

"Anyway, there's two more people I'd like you to meet." He directed Ichigo and Rukia through the back of the lounge and into the dormitories. As they walked along, Ichigo could sense a strong odor that reeked of cats. Renji opened the door to the largest bedroom. Inside was Soifon, kneeled up on the floor, wearing a black jumper and pants. She had a pair of glasses on and was reading a book. Curled up on her lap was a black cat. The only noticeable feature about the cat was that its front left leg was missing.

"Aww, what a cute kitty," Rukia said. She bent down to pat the cat, who purred in satisfaction. "Oh, its front left leg is missing. Poor thing." Almost at once the cat screeched and jumped at Rukia, who jerked back.

"You take pity on me do you?" the cat suddenly spoke. Rukia was shocked but Ichigo was not surprised. He knew what was coming. All of the sudden a cloud of smoke enveloped the cat. Once it cleared the black cat was no more. In its place was a starkly beautiful dark-skinned woman, standing completely naked.

"Eek! Miss Yoruichi!" Rukia shrieked. "I didn't know you could turn into a cat."

"Sorry," Yoruichi laughed. "I mustn't have shown it to you at all."

"Put some clothes on!" Ichigo yelled, trying desperately not to look at her breasts. Yoruichi laughed and grabbed a black jumped and pants.

"You're still such a prude Ichigo," she teased.

"Whatever," Ichigo said. "Hey your left arm is completely amputated. What happened?" Both Rukia and Ichigo could see that that Yoruichi had a stump in the place of an arm. Yoruichi looked at it and sighed.

"I lost it during the war." Neither Rukia nor Ichigo said anything else.

A while later the seven of them gathered around the lounge room, sharing rice balls and sake. Kon was left ogling at the women on TV.

"So Rukia, what is it that you us to talk about?" Renji asked. Rukia took out the bundle of reports and showed it to him.

"These are the reports from the reconnaissance team that infiltrated Soul Society," she said. Rangiku, who took a glanced at them, suddenly gasped.

"We got them too! A few days ago!" she exclaimed. "Where did I put them?"

"In the trash can," Hitsugaya said.

"Oh you're right! Silly me, I mistook them for old newspapers." She sorted through the rubbish bin until she pulled out a bundle of papers, slightly oily from the grease in the bin.

"Tch, no wonder we didn't get to study them," Renji was pissed off. "You almost threw them away Rangiku!" Matsumoto blushed.

"It doesn't matter if toy haven't read them yet. Nii-sama wanted us to ask if any of you want to accompany Ichigo and me for the planned assault on Soul Society," Rukia said. The five others stared at Ichigo and her with a sense of annoyance and disbelief.

"I'm willing to go," Renji said. "There's not really a lot to do here, and my servants are generally capable of handling themselves.

"Sorry, I can't go," Hitsugaya said. "I'm in charge of most of the Shinigami still on patrol in the city, and it's hell trying to cope with all of the spirits and hollows running amok, with no help from you, Kurosaki Ichigo." Ichigo was ticked off, but he refrained from commenting.

"Well if captain doesn't go then I'm staying. Someone has to guard this place when Renji is gone."

"You just want the free drinks," Hitsugaya said.

"Well, I'd be happy to accompany you Ichigo," Yoruichi said, "if I hadn't lost my arm. I could have followed you in my cat form, but it's a bit awkward trying to run as cat when you only have three legs."

"If Yoruichi-san doesn't go, then I'm not going either," Soifon said, hugging Yoruichi tightly. Rukia and Ichigo were a bit disturbed at this show of affection.

"Fine then. You could at least try to find the other officers still around and see if they want to come," Rukia said.

"That's okay with us," Renji said. "Anything else you want to tell us?'

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Ichigo said. "Ikkaku's getting married."

"WHAT?" the five of the, collectively asked in shocked. "Since when-"

"I know what you're going to say. Ask Yumichika if you want to get a very flowery version of the story. He's getting married to the sister of one of my friends. It's going to take place in ten days' time. Are any of you coming?" Renji, Matsumoto, Hitsugaya, Yoruichi and Soifon all nodded.

"We want the free drinks," Matsumoto laughed.

* * *

Notes: Wow, this was a massive update. There's a lot of material in there. Notice some of the running jokes and gags about the various characters? Keen readers and watchers of the manga will have a blast picking them out.

There are some concepts and terms which may confuse some readers. I'll point them out.

Maggot's Nest: Spoilers up to the latest chapter of Bleach. It's the top security prison in Soul Society where all misfit Shinigami are set to.

Keigo's sister and Ikkaku: Watch Episode 121 for those who don't know what I'm referring to here. I just thought it would be funny if their relationshop actually developed further.

Yakasuni shrine: The shrine that honours Japan's war dead. I know it's infamous for the graves of Japanese War Criminals, but I'm planning to make good use of it next chapter.

Shinjuku ward: The busiest commercial district in Tokyo. This is the 'downtown' area, where all the exciting stuff happens.

Sakura Corporation: Well, I figured Byakuya would easily act like a modern day noble and what better example of that than to have him as the billionaire boss of one of Japan's largest companies.

Red Dog Shoten: Again drawing on manga references here. Renji's theme is mostly red, he has likened himself to a dog since he comes from Inuzuri, and it's obviously a successor to Urahara shoten.

Kabukicho: The 'red-light' district of Shinjuku, where all the seedy stuff like brothels and strip clubs happen.

What do you think of this chapter? Great thanks to those who have wrote reviews so far. Keep them coming!


	4. Chapter 4: Ghosts from the Past

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

What has happened so far: Ichigo and Mizuiro transferred Kenpachi to a maximum security prison. They discovered that Keigo's sister was getting married to Ikakku. Rukia met Byakuya who gave her reports about the current status of Soul Society. Rukia and Ichigo met up again and visited Renji, who was running a store similar to Urahara's, along with Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Yoruichi and Soifon. Now the planned wedding will take place in ten days...

* * *

Chapter 4: Ghosts from the Past

Ten days later, on a fresh autumn Saturday, the crowds started gathering at Yasukuni Shrine for the anticipated ceremony. Ichigo and Rukia had arrived early and helped out with the preparations. Ichigo was wearing the tuxedo he had worn to his last school prom night, whilst Rukia was wearing an elegant blue and white kimono that Ishida had made. The actual wedding would not take place in the shrine itself, but rather in the tea hall and gardens surrounding the shrine. Currently, only He, Rukia, Kon, Keigo and Mizuiro were actually present at the location. The rest had yet to arrive.

"Do you think the turnout will be high?" Ichigo asked. "I know Keigo's extended family will be there in force, but I don't imagine that Ikkaku would have any relatives."

"Well, I bet Ikkaku regards the eleventh division as his family, so all of his comrades from there would definitely show up. As for the others, we convinced Renji's group to come. I don't know about Nii-sama, Captain Unohana and Captain Kurotsuchi," Rukia said. They waited at the entrance to the shrine for a while longer. Soon, many cars arrived at the car park. Some of them were members of Keigo's family, or schoolmates of his sister. The other people who arrived however, were the former captains and vice-captains of the Gotei 13. Renji, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Soifon and Yoruichi were obvious ones, as was Yumichika, who was penciled in as Ikakku's Best Mate. Ichigo and Rukia were shocked however, when the other members arrived as well. Unohana, Isane, Yachiru and Hanataro arrived in a hospital taxi, with Hanataro doing the driving. Mayuri and Nemu got out of their car, to very suspicious looks from onlookers. Rukia's eyes widened when she saw a lavish BMW 7 Series executive sedan stop near the entrance of the car park, and Byakuya step out. The sedan quickly drove away. The final surprise guest to turn up was Kenpachi, who was dropped off from a heavily guarded police van right at the entrance to the shrine. The onlookers around the shrine freaked out when they saw him. He was wearing a worn-out and tattered tuxedo.

"Kenpachi, why are you here?" Ichigo asked. "And how did you get permission to leave the prison?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kenpachi smirked. "I wouldn't miss an occasion that involves the third best member of my company. As to how I got out, I told those guards I was Ikkaku's older brother." Ichigo and Rukia were totally confused.

"Ken-chan!" Yachiru called out, after spotting her captain from the other side of the car park. She ran like no normal eight year old would and literally flied into Kenpachi's arm. "I missed you so much Ken-chan!"

"I missed you too, Yachiru," Kenpachi said. To Ichigo and Rukia the two of them looked like father and daughter, which was a bit disturbing.

"Nii-sama!" Rukia called out as soon as she saw Byakuya walk by. He was wearing a standard black tuxedo, except he also had the trademark scarf around his neck and clamps on his hair.

"How are you Rukia?" Byakuya asked. Rukia said she was feeling fine. They met up with the other Shinigami. Renji, Hitsugaya, and Hanataro were wearing standard tuxedoes, but Yumichika was wearing a Japanese kimono. The girls were all wearing kimonos of various colours, with Matusmoto's revealing a lot her cleavage.

"Hey Ichigo, what's happening?" Renji asked. "Is the ceremony starting?"

"Nah, Keigo's family still has a lot of preparation to do, and both Keigo and Mizuiro are busy doing final arrangements," Ichigo said.

"Well, what should we do to kill time?" Matsumoto asked. "We kind of look out of place."

"How about we go inside the shrine and pay our respects to the fallen dead?" Captain Unohana suggested. Everybody looked at her with some surprise. Even amongst the Shinigami, it was common knowledge that Yasukuni shrine housed the spirits of soldiers who died serving Japan during past conflicts. All of them had been sent to Soul Society long ago, although none of note had made the transition to Shinigami.

"Uh, Captain Unohana? Do you want us to visit the graves of the Japanese soldiers?" Ichigo asked. Unohana shook her head and smiled.

"Of course not. We have no interest in the conflicts of the real world. However, there is a section of the shrine which is invisible to normal human eyes. There lies the graves of the Shinigami who fell during the Winter War. Come with me. I will show you them." All of the former Gotei 13 members along with Ichigo followed Unohana into the shrine, bypassing the entrances to the main temples which housed Japanese war dead. They ended up at what was a dense clump of trees at the very rear of the shrine. However, Unohana chanted a Kido spell that revealed a secret path. This led to a hidden shrine, much smaller in size to the normal buildings, which was invisible to the human eye. All around the shrine were tombstones. On them were marked several names: Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai, Ukitake Jushiro, Kyoraku Shunsui, Komamura Sajin, Hirako Shinji, Omaedo Marechiyo and Tetsusaemon Iba. Ichigo's heart tensed when he saw them. They were the Gotei 13 who died fighting Aizen's forces. Some of the people around him were either crying or holding back tears. Rukia was one of them. She was kneeling at the tombstone of her fallen captain Ukitake. As for Ichigo, Shinji's grave was what touched him the most. He had trained with Shinji for more than a month when he was learning his Vizard Captains, and he had seen him personally killed by Aizen.

* * *

After some much reminiscing and lighting of the incense, the Gotei 13 members all exited the hidden shrine and went back to the entrance to the car park. At last, Keigo's family had finished preparations. He and Mizuiro were waiting for Ichigo.

"Hey, where have you been?" Keigo asked Ichigo. "I spotted you and Rukia at the entrance, but then the two of you disappeared into the shrine. And who are guys that accompanied you?" Keigo's eyes widened when he saw all of the Shinigami behind Ichigo. His eyes widened even further when he spotted Kenpachi and Yumichika.

"These are all of my Shinigami friends, or associates at least," Ichigo pointed. "We decided to honor some of their fallen comrades' graves."

"I understand," Mizuiro said. "But the Shinto Priests overseeing the ceremony have ordered all of us to go to the wedding temple at once." Ichigo, Rukia, and the other disguised Shinigami followed Keigo and Mizuiro towards the temple where the ceremony was to take place. As soon as they arrived at the entrance to the temple it was apparent that Keigo's family and friends outnumbered the Shinigami cohort by a significant margin. Not only were at least four generations of the Asano family present, but there were the family relatives and the schoolmates of Keigo and his sister who had survived Karakura Town. The Asano family and relatives weren't the only ones who were already there however. Ichigo soon got a surprise when a huge shadow landed on top of him.

"ICHIGO!!" his crazy father yelled. "Long time no see son!"

"Shut up!" Ichigo pushed his dad away. Just as he did so, he was hugged by Karin and Yuzu. They had grown up into fine young women and both look gorgeous in their Kimonos.

"Nii-san, we missed you so much!" Karin and Yuzu both cried in unison. "Why didn't you ever come back and see us?" Yuzu looked up and saw Rukia.

"Oh, Rukia-san, so nice to see you!" she called.

"It's nice to see you too," Rukia smiled as she was hugged by both of the sisters."

"RUKIA-CHAN!!" Isshin shouted in a crazy voice. "I hope you and Ichigo are having a nice time together. I expect babies real soon!" Both Rukia and Ichigo kicked him away.

With Ichigo's family joining him, the remaining delegation flocked into the temple. Conveniently, all of Keigo's family and friends had chosen to sit on the left side of the temple. That mean all of the seats on the right side were free. Yumichika, being the best mate, was told to stand beside the shrine table. Kenpachi, Unohana, Isane and Yachiru, having registered as 'family members' of Ikkaku, sat in the front role. Ichigo, his family, Rukia and Byakuya sat in the second row. The rest chose random seats in the final two rows. With all of the guests who had been invited to the wedding, and some who were perhaps uninvited, present and accounted, the wait was on for the bride and the groom to arrive. The entire temple was filled with conversation, most of it occurring on the left side of the room. Finally, after ten minutes of waiting, a car could be heard beeping outside.

All of the people in the room turned their heads around and looked towards the rear. The front doors of the temple opened and two people stepped inside. One was Ikkaku, looking extremely uncomfortable in a formal black kimono robe. The other was Keigo's sister, decked out in a head to toe formal white kimono gown, a hood over her hair, and her skin painted a pale pink. Yumichika and one of Mizuho's friends, the two go-betweens, accompanied the bride and groom along the aisle. As they walked, Renji, Matsumoto and even Ichigo himself struggled to contain their laughter at how silly Ikkaku looked. When he noticed what they doing, he gave them his 'death scare'. That forced Ichigo to shut up. When Ikkaku got to Kenpachi however, he froze. Unfortunately for him, because Kenpachi and Unohana had been registered as Ikkaku's immediate family, they had to participate in the ceremony.

When both Ikkaku and Keigo's sister had kneeled down in front of the Shinto priest, the ceremony began. Everyone in the room watched intently as the nuptial cups were exchanged. This tedious process was repeated three times before the bride and groom exchanged glasses of sake. Then the immediate family members, which mean Kenpachi and Unohana exchanged classed of Sake. Finally marriage rings were exchanged between the bride and groom. This concluded the formal part of the ceremony. The Shinto Priest then directed Ikkaku and Mizuho to come with him to the sanctuary behind the temple. This was the private part of the ceremony, where twigs from a Sakaki tree would be offered to the gods, which Ichigo knew meant offerings to Aizen. As the crowd waited for the couple to come out as husband and wife, the once quiet atmosphere began to be filled by chatter. During this time Ichigo looked around the temple. In hindsight he should have just talked to Rukia instead, for in glancing around his eyes caught upon two faces he never wanted to see again: Ishida and Tatsuki.

_Shit, they're going to kill me_, Ichigo thought in his mind. He had parted with the two of them on bad terms following Karakura Town's destruction. He knew the reason why; he had failed to even attempt to retrieve Orihime, who had been taken by Aizen after he had completed the Royal Key. Orihime wasn't the only reason for Ishida and Tatsuki's hatred: Chad had been taken by Aizen as well. Knowing both of them, Ichigo was sure that they'd seize whatever chance they got at taking their revenge upon him. That was why he had stayed away from them for the past four years. Now though, there was nowhere to hide. He wasn't sure if they had also seen him, but as soon as the ceremony ended and the crowd began to leave the temple, they would definitely spot him getting up and leaving.

* * *

Some time later Ikakku and Mizuho emerged from the sanctuary at the rear of the temple, now fully husband and wife. All of Keigo's family rushed to hug their beloved daughter. Ikakku was swamped by Kenpachi, Yachiru, Yumichika, Renji and Matsumoto. Ichigo, however, decided to catch up with Mizuiro, who was leaving the temple.

"Rukia, go tell the others and my family that I have some business to discuss with Mizuiro. I'll be waiting for you at the car," he said.

"Okay, take care," Rukia said. Their eyes spoke more about their feelings for each other than their words ever did. Ichigo gave her a wink and then ran after Mizuiro.

"Hey Mizuiro! What's up?" he asked. Mizuiro turned around.

"Hi Ichigo. I'm in a hurry to get back home. I have a date with one of my girlfriends tomorrow," he said.

"Oh, is that what's it about," Ichigo laughed. "You lucky stud."

"You're lucky as well. You and Rukia-chan make a fine couple," Mizuiro smiled. "So why did you leave so early?"

"Well, I don't really want to get involved in the post-nuptial celebrations, and there's a couple of people I want to get away from."

"A couple of people you want to get away from?" a loud female voice called out from behind Ichigo. He turned around and his heart froze. It was Tatsuki. She looked absolutely mad with rage. Without warning she stomped right up to him and grabbed him by the shirt collar.

"Where have you been Ichigo? You owe me, and Uryu, an explanation!!" she shouted.

"Um, Tatsuki, can't we sort out this mess with peaceful discussion?" Mizuiro tried to calm her down. She gave him a right hook on the face that toppled him over.

"Shut up! The time for discussion is over Mizuiro!" She stared into Ichigo's eyes.

"Where is Orihime? Where have those bastards taken her? And why didn't you try to save her at the first opportunity? ANSWER ME ICHIGO!!" She gripped him by the collar even tighter. Ichigo felt his windpipe being slowly crushed.

"You want to know the soft version or the hard truth?" he asked.

"I want the truth. The real truth. You've been hiding secrets from me for far too long Ichigo. I've detested all of the lies you've been telling me!"

"Fine then, but be warned, what you're going to hear is not going to be comforting," Ichigo took a deep breath. "Orihime is in a completely different dimension now, sealed off forever from the mortal world. It's not like Soul Society, which you experienced for a few months before Karakura Town's destruction. She's gone to a place where not even the Shinigami can reach. The person who's taken her has now become the God over this entire universe, and likely she's become his queen. Face it Tatsuki, even if I did know how to get into God's realm, which I don't, the Orihime you and I knew has likely disappeared forever. Who knows what she's become. It's likely she doesn't even know us anymore. Do you think she'd want to be saved?" After Ichigo's last sentence, Tatsuki snapped. She punched him hard in the face. He toppled over and landed on his elbows.

"YOU MONSTER! How dare you say such things about Orihime! Are you so heartless that you don't even care about her?" she screamed in rage and tears. Ichigo tried to get up but he was kicked again in the face by Tatsuki.

"If you knew what was going to happen to her, then why didn't you prevent her from being taken in the first place! And forgot Chad! You let him get taken too! Are you going to tell me that he's been warped the same way?" Ichigo stared into Tatsuki's blood shot eyes. An expression of sorrow and regret came over him.

"Yes, he has." His words drove Tatsuki nuts. She started punching the crap out of him. However, after two more punches, Ichigo grabbed Tatsuki's fists and then kicked her hard in the stomach. She doubled over and coughed up blood.

"You're a fool Tatsuki! Do you think I've forgotten about Orihime and Chad? Do you think I didn't try to save them at the first opportunity? Of course I did!" he yelled at her. "I came from hell and back to retrieve Orihime! I died and came back to life just to save her! I kept on going even when I was pierced by a million sharp baldes! Yet despite all of this it still wasn't enough! I'm not superman. I can't keep on saving people forever. I'm not the most powerful being in the universe, and even if I was I'd still make mistakes. What happened to Orihime was nothing I could do about." He kicked Tatsuki in the face one last time and then walked off. As he did so, memories of that infamous day, when the world around him came crashing down, returned…

_"Hirako!" Ichigo shouted as he saw Hirako Shinji, former captain of 5__th__ Company, stabbed in the heart by his treacherous former subordinate, Aizen Sosuke. He, Rukia, Ishida, Renji, Chad and Orihime had exited Heuco Mundo through the Garganta that Neliel had opened. Now they were standing above Karakura Town. There was chaos everywhere. Tons of civilians and Shinigami were running around frantically. Hollows of various shapes and sizes, including menos, were randomly hunting people and destroying houses. In the midst of all this was a blackened out crater. The two traitors, Aizen Sosuke and Ichimaru Gin, stood triumphant over a fallen Hirako, a bloodied Komamura Sajin, and a sobbing Tousen Kaname. _

_"Istygo! I can't maintain the Garganta any longer. You'll have to exit it right now!" Neliel called out._

_"Okay!" Ichigo called back. "Come on, let's get going!" They all leaped down from the Garganta. Rather than going towards the blackened crater, the group decided to head to the outskirts of Karakura Town as soon as possible. They bypassed many familiar friends and faces. Keigo, Mizuiro, Tatsuki, Ichigo's classmates from high school, all of them followed Ichigo's group. Ichigo then spotted Karin and Yuzu, hanging onto to their father, who was in his Shinigami clothes._

_"Ichigo!" Isshin called out. "Take Karin and Yuzu and get out of the town!"_

_"What about you?" Ichigo called back._

_"Don't worry. I'll escape before this town gets blown to pieces." The now swollen group of about fifty people rushed towards the boundaries of the Senkaimon. Just as they got near the border of between Karakura Town and the nearby Rukongai district, two shadows appeared directly in front of them. It was Aizen and Ichimaru. Ichigo, Rukia and Renji all drew their swords. _

_"Well, well, this is a surprise. I didn't expect the lot of you to escape from my trap so easily," Aizen smirked. "And I see you've killed Ulquiorra and taken my hostage. I'm afraid that won't do. So now I'm taking her back." Aizen disappeared. Ichigo tensed and swung around. He was too late. Orihime screamed for help. Aizen's hands were around her. _

_"Inoue!" Ichigo shouted, going straight to Bankai in a flash. Rukia, Renji, Ishida and Chad all followed, weapons drawn. Aizen stood there, smiling maniacally. _

_"My, my, aren't you all a bit rash charging at me so recklessly?" he asked._

_"Give Inoue back!" Ichigo called out. He charged a Getsuga Tenshou in his blade. Before he could even unleash it, Aizen chanted the words: "Hadou 90, Black Coffin." _

_All of the sudden a massive black void engulfed them all. For a moment Ichigo couldn't see a thing. Then he screamed as a million blades pierced his body. When the void dissipated, he was lying on the ground hopeless. He glanced around and saw that Rukia, Renji, Chad and Ishida were also lying around bleeding._

_"None of you can stop me now. I shall spare your lives, for all of you are nothing but mere pawns beneath my feet. I will take Inoue Orihime. She will become my queen in heaven," Aizen said coldly. "Oh, I just had an idea. Gin, let's take the human-hollow boy with us."_

_"As you wish, Captain Aizen," Ichimaru said. Ichigo saw him walk over to them and lifted Chad's unconscious form over his shoulder._

_"Boy, this guy is quite heavy. Are you sure you don't need the others?"_

_"No Gin, leave them be. Soon they'll be turned to dust anyway." Ichigo watched, helpless as Aizen and Ichimaru, carrying a screaming Orihime and a limp Chad, shunpo-ed away. As soon as they disappeared, his father and some of the Vizards appeared._

_"Ichigo! What happened to you?" Isshin knelt beside his fallen son._

_"Aizen came. He hit us all with Black Coffin and took Orihime and Chad," Ichigo moaned._

_"We can talk later. Can you get up?" Ichigo nodded and scrambled to his feet. Rukia, Renji and Ishida did the same. "Let's get out of here. This place is going to blow!" The entire group, swollen to over a hundred and fifty people, but now minus Orihime and Chad, ran as fast as they could to a hill overlooking the town, some two kilometers away. Then they heard a massive explosion go off. Ichigo looked back, and gazed at the immense blast of spirit energy in horror. It was like a hydrogen bomb, and it obliterated everything within it. The shockwave came right to the edge of the town. Then he glanced towards the sky, and saw four figures enter a small door which disappeared right afterwards…_

Those raw memories, memories of the horror and the devastation, came flooding back to Ichigo. The past he had ran away from for four years, was now right in front of him. He was so lost in thought that he failed to notice the arrow that was pointed directly at his neck.

"You've gone too far, Kurosaki," the voice of Ishida Uryu said coldly.

* * *

Ichigo and Ishida, the ultimate battle between rivals begins! Feel free to make bets on who will win next chapter!

This was an important chapter. Not only did it cover Ikkaku and Mizuho's wedding (hope you all liked it! XD) but it revealed the final events of the Winter War and the making of the King's key.

Some more notes on the chapter:

Yasukuni Shrine: Well, obviously I wasn't going to have the characters honouring Japanese war criminals, so I decided that a small shrine that was hidden was appropriate for the fallen heroes of the Winter War.

About the dead: The characters I listed on the gravestones are the characters most likely to die in the forthcoming battle beginning from Chapter 315. There's also spoilers from the latest chapters regarding Shinji being a captain and Aizen his vice-captain

The wedding: I did a lot of research on how traditional Japanese weddings took place, and tried to model the wedding as accurately as possible on it.

The flashback: This was an extremely difficult sequence, and yes there's two big surprises. I figured that Aizen was still interested in Orihime, despite what he said in chapter 314. And Chad turning to the dark side has always been a possibilty, and will allow for greater scope for development on his character later on.

Keep the reviews coming! I've liked the responses so far. Suggestions on what characters or scenarios to put in are more than welcome.


	5. Chapter 5: Quincy Archer Hates You

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Events so far: Ichigo, the other members of the Gotei 13, and Keigo's family all gathered outside Yasukuni Shrine for Ikakku and Mizuho's wedding. Before the wedding, the Shinigami as a group visited a hidden a shrine dedicated to the fallen heroes of the Winter War. The wedding took place and Ikkaku and Mizuho were married. Right after the wedding, Ichigo was confronted by Tatsuki, who wanted to know why he ran away from them for four years. A scuffle ensured, in which Ichigo recalled the last moments of the Winter War, and Karakura Town's Destruction. He left Tatsuki lying on the ground, but was then stopped by Ishida. Now a titanic battle between two old rivals begins..

* * *

Chapter 5: Quincy Archer Hates You

"What did you say?" Ichigo turned around and stared with a baleful gaze at Ishida, who was pointing his bow, Ginrei Kojaku, at him, with intent to kill. Ishida had been wearing the trademark white Quincy uniform with the upturned collar.

"I said you have gone too far, Kurosaki," Ishida replied. "When I came out of the temple, I found Tatsuki slumped on the ground. I saw that she wasn't moving, and blood was coming out of her mouth and nose. I tried to wake her up, but she didn't respond."

"Huh, that's a surprise. I didn't think I had kicked her that hard," Ichigo turned around and was about to walk away when Ishida appeared right in front of him.

"Answer me Kurosaki! Why did you leave Tatsuki lying there? She could have bled to death. Even if the two of you got into an argument and a fight, that's no reason to walk away as soon as you knocked her unconscious!! Are you so heartless that you don't even care about what happens to her?!"

"Why do you care about my actions so much? You tended her soon after I walked off. You could have called for the ambulance and sent her to hospital. It's not like she and me are friends now. I have no legal obligation whatsoever to help her. Beside, she attacked me first and I only defended." Ichigo's words made Ishida's reiatsu flare up intensely.

"That's it Kurosaki. You and I are henceforth enemies. The two of us were enemies to begin with. But then as I got to know you, I thought you were different from other Shinigami. You actually cared about the people all around you. But now I see I was wrong. You're just like those other Shinigami…no you're even worse! You abandon your friends just like the 12th Division captain does, that is something I won't forgive!!"

"So, you want to fight me?" Ichigo said all cocky like. He was silenced by an arrow that narrowly missed his left cheek.

"On the pride of the Quincy, I will kill you, Kurosaki!" Ishida shouted. Ichigo somehow knew that it would come down to this. Four years of hatred and silence don't just get dissipated so easily. Broken friendships wouldn't be mended after a single talk, not when they hadn't seen each other for so long. He took out Kon's pill, which, he had placed into the shirt pocket of his tuxedo. He gulped it down and instantly jumped out of his body into his Shinigami form. Kon, who had taken over his body, looked at Ishida's bow in fright.

"Kon. Go back to Rukia and dad and tell them I'll be fine. Ishida and I are just settling some differences out," Ichigo said.

"Um, okay," Kon said nervously. He ran all the back towards the temple as if his life depended on it. Ichigo gripped the hilt of his sword and unsheathed Zangetsu.

"If you really want to settle this, I suggest we take the fight somewhere else, so that our friends back at a temple aren't hurt by it." Ichigo said.

"Fine with me." Ishida followed Ichigo into the air. They flew across the rooftops of buildings, passing through the boundaries of the Chiyoda ward and entering Chuo ward. They finally landed in front of the Mitsukoshi Department store. It was still mid noon, and though the streets of Chuo were much quieter on Saturdays, there was still some people about. They might not have seen Ichigo, but they certainly saw Ishida, and since his bow was something that also invisible to human eyes, they were utterly confused as to why he was holding his arms in a bow position.

"Are you ready Kurosaki?" Ishida asked, pulling the strings of his bow even tighter.

"Ready whenever you are," Ichigo replied, gripping Zangetsu with two hands. A violent gush of wind rushed through the street, as their reiatsu steadily increased. The tension was finally broken when Ishida let loose an arrow. Ichigo blocked it with his sword and rushed at him. He swung his sword in a downward arc at Ishida, but the Quincy sidestepped it and fired another arrow at his back. Ichigo did a handstand on his blade to dodge the arrow, somersaulted right over, pulled Zangetsu out of the ground, and swung at Ishida again. Ishida proceeded to dodge and duck every swing that Ichigo swung at him, whilst firing a multitude of arrows at him. Ichigo blocked each one, but he was becoming frustrated.

"What's the matter, Kurosaki? Can't keep up with my speed? You know that Hirenkyaku is superior to Shunpo," Ishida taunted him.

"Shut up! You're just trying to egg me on because you can't fight at close range!" Ichigo shouted back. He swung Zangetsu in a downward arc again. This time Ishida reappeared right behind him and fired more than a dozen arrows directly at him. Instead of dodging them or blocking them, Ichigo merely smirked. Just as the arrows were about to hit him, he turned around and fired a Getsuga Tensho directly at Ishida. Ishida gasped. He had no time to dodge or deflect the attack at all. Ichigo saw a large explosion and some blood splatter to the ground. When the smoke cleared, Ishida was holding his left hand, which was bleeding all over.

"Hah, told you so. You can't fight for shit at close range, Ishida. Just look at your left hand," Ichigo taunted. Ishida stared for a while at his injured left hand, and then smirked.

"You think you've crippled me because of that single attack? How naïve." He extended his left arm outwards, and a sudden glow of reiatsu engulfed his body. Ichigo looked on in awe as a bundle of spirit threads came out of nowhere and wrapped themselves around Ishida's hand. The bleeding stopped, and whatever wounds the Getsuga Tensho inflicted had completely closed up.

"What the hell is that?" Ichigo asked, totally confused.

"Want me to tell you?" Ishida laughed. "This is Ransotengai, or heavenly wild puppet suit. It's an advanced Quincy fighting technique that allows the user to control their body parts using strings of spirit particles controlled by the brain. By using this technique, it allows one to fight until his/her body has literally turned to dust. I've refined the technique so that any wounds I suffer can be instantly stitched up and healed. In short Kurosaki, you can not hurt me with that level of attack."

"Is that so? Then all I need to do is to inflict damage on a scale that you can't heal instantly, no matter what. That Getsuga Tensho was a weak one anyway."

"You're right. That blast had barely any reiatsu in it. It seems I am at a significant disadvantage in close combat," Ishida sighed. "Looks like I have no choice but to use these." With his fully functional left hand, he pulled something from the belt around his waist. It was a stick, about a foot long, with a bracket handle at the end. Ichigo stared at it, and then jumped when a bright beam of light extended outwards from the stick to about a metre or so. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like those lightsabers from Star Wars.

"What the hell is that? Don't tell me it's one of your Quincy tricks again," Ichigo moaned. "It looks a like a lightsaber." Ishida laughed madly.

"Indeed, it does resemble a lightsaber, and it functions similar to it. But like you said, this is another Quincy fighting tool," Ishida held the weapon horizontal to his shoulder. "Seele Schneider, the only Quincy weapon that bears a sword's edge. The ones I had before were stolen from my father's warehouse, but the ones one me now, I made myself. Now Kurosaki, I'm able to fight you hand to hand."

"Hah, I wonder how that puny lightsaber of yours will fare against my blade!" Ichigo smirked, readying Zangetsu. In a flash Ishida struck out with his Seele Schneider. Ichigo blocked his strike with his blade. They exchanged several blows, with Ishida slowly pushing Ichigo back. The locked blades in a heated clash of sparks. Ichigo almost overpowered Ishida when the Quincy went right behind him. Ichigo barely blocked Ishida's strike, and was caught totally unprepared for his second. The Seele Schneider grazed Ichigo's right side. He grimaced in pain, but a second later he noticed his reiatsu was decreasing. _What the hell? How come my spirit energy is dropping?_ Then he noticed that Ishida's Seele Schneider had changed shape. Its outward tip had swollen up, and a stream of spirit particles was flowing out of Ichigo's body.

"You finally noticed. Seele Schneider doesn't just cut. The spirit particles in the blade vibrate like a chainsaw, shredding spirit particles from a body. This allows me to absorb them easily. In short, Kurosaki, you are getting weaker whilst I'm getting stronger," Ishida explained. Ichigo didn't like the explanation. _I'd figured he used a weapon to cheat like that. What a way to steal someone else's energy_. He laughed hard.

"Drain all the energy you want. I doubt you'll be able to drain me dry before this battle this over," Ichigo said. "But I find it insulting to have someone stealing my energy, and so I'm going to prevent you from stealing any more." He placed his left hand upon the blunt edge of Zangetsu.

"BANKAI!" he shouted. A black aura of energy engulfed his body. Ishida was taken aback at the reiatsu that was being emitted.

* * *

"Where has he gone?" Rukia demanded as she kept on strangling Kon in Ichigo's body. "Tell me the truth!"

"Okay, but can you let go or else you'll strangle me, and Ichigo's body, to death," Kon squirmed. Rukia loosened her grip. Kon gasped for breath.

"Alright, I don't really know what's going on since I was stuck in pill form most of the time. But when I regained consciousness inside Ichigo's body, I saw Ichigo in Shinigami form, staring at Uryu, who had his bow out. They looked like they wanted to kill each other. And then I saw them fly off, that way!" he pointed towards the south.

"I see," Rukia said. A storm of commotion had erupted when they discovered Tatsuki lying unconscious on the ground. The police and ambulance were called in, the temple grounds were sealed off and all of the guests were put under questioning. Inevitably, Ichigo and Ishida's absence would become suspicious. Rukia sighed in frustration. _What mess have you gotten yourself into, Ichigo?_ Suddenly she felt a massive spike in reiatsu coming from the south.

* * *

Ishida watched the spiraling column of red energy dissipate. When the smoke cleared, Ichigo was in his Bankai form. His normal black robes were replaced with a coat that wrapped around his waist and trailed down to his ankles. The huge cleaver was replaced with a long elegant black katana with a manji symbol for a guard. He had stared at Ichigo so intently that he failed to notice the sudden shift in Ichigo's stance. At once Ichigo shot right up to him. Ishida barely blocked a strike aimed at his face, and Ichigo continued the assault, slashing multiple times at Ishida's body. With each strike he kept on Shunpo-ing around Ishida, making it impossible for the Quincy to get a hit either blade or arrow. Ishida took a desperate swipe at Ichigo, who promptly Shunpo-ed some distance away. Frustrated, Ishida decided to use his Seele Schneider as an arrow, charging it to full power with his bow, and fired it at Ichigo.

"Hah, that's a mighty big arrow," Ichigo commented, as he dodged the Seele Schneider that flew past him.

"Watch out, this isn't it a normal arrow," Ishida warned. Ichigo turned around and saw the massive arrow had changed direction and flown back at him. "It's a homing arrow, Kurosaki. Whatever you do, you can't escape it!" Ichigo, after dodging several times, got sick and tired and simply slashed at the arrow. The Seele Schneider was cleaved in half, and dropped limp on the ground. Ichigo then fired a black Getsuga Tensho at Ishida, who dodged to the side. The red and black blast careered into the side of a building, causing a huge explosion. Running out of options, Ishida, resorted to firing his bow as a machine gun, launching thousands upon thousands of arrows at Ichigo in all directions, circling around his target using Hirenkyaku. Ichigo simply stood there, and swatted all of the arrows away. He then Shunpo-ed right behind Ishida. Ishida blocked an attack aimed at his right arm with another Seele Schneider.

"Is that all Kurosaki? Your Bankai isn't much to speak of," Ishida taunted.

"Oh really? Watch this then," Ichigo taunted back. "Getsuga Tensho." All of a sudden Ishida was consumed by an enormous red and black blast and was sent flying into a building. After the smoke cleared, he emerged from the rubble with a huge slice across his chest, panting all over. Blood was flowing from his forehead. He jumped down and applied more ransotengai strips to sew up the wound, though he couldn't do anything about the pain.

"You should give up, Ishida," Ichigo said, lowering his blade. "You can't fight me properly the way you are now. I have no intention of killing you. You're better off going back and looking after Tatsuki. Besides, when the police find out about this, you'll be the suspect, because people can't see me, but they can see you clearly."

"SHUT UP!!" Ishida shouted, still gasping for breath. "I swore I would kill you, and a Quincy never goes back on his word. It's not just about Tatsuki. I still have a score to settle with you about Orihime. You could have come up with a plan to get her back, but no, you went into hiding and sulked all this time. I don't care anymore what happens to me. I'll do whatever it takes to win, even if it means losing my power!!" Ichigo was startled by Ishida's last sentence. He just noticed the strange gloves he was wearing. They were similar to the ones he had on when they had first entered Soul Society. Now Ishida pulled off both gloves on. As soon as he pulled his left glove off, a massive ball of spirit energy exploded around him.

* * *

"What was that?" Rukia asked. She, and all of the Shinigami who were still at the temple felt the enormous spike in reiatsu, greater than the one they had felt previously.

"It's coming from the Chuo ward," Byakuya said.

"I know that reiatsu signature," Mayuri spoke. "It belongs to that Quincy boy. He's doing the Final form thing he used when he fought against me. The power he has in that form is probably greater than any captain."

_What's Ishida doing?_ Rukia had never seen him fight for real, so she had no idea of how powerful he was. But for him to go that far, definitely meant he and Ichigo were fighting to the death.

Rukia decided to gulp down a soul candy. She changed into a Shinigami, whilst Chappy took over her gigai.

"Kon! Take Chappy back to our house!" she called out. Kon nodded. Rukia turned to look at her brother, who was also swallowing a pill.

"Shall we go after them, Nii-sama?" she asked. Byakuya nodded.

"Yes, we must stop the two of them from fighting, or else terrible damage will be done to the city." His words followed the other Shinigami, who had all jumped out of their gigais. As a group they Shunpo-ed towards Chuo ward, leaving their mod souls behind to deal with the police. Little did they know that Isshin, who had been brought in for questioning, was also following them in his Shinigami form.

* * *

"What the hell?" Ichigo stared at Ishida, who had undergone a remarkable transformation. His entire torso had been covered in a layer of dense spiritual armor, and his bow had changed shape. Now it looked more like a repeating crossbow, except with a much bigger bow span. That wasn't the most remarkable feature however. What amazed Ichigo was the brilliant plume of reiatsu coming out of Ishida's back, almost like a wing or quiver. It was drawing in spirit particles just like the Seele Schneider had, but it was on a far larger scale. Now virtually everything living and nonliving object in the surrounding area was being drained of their spirit energy. It was a sight that Ichigo had never seen before. The reiatsu Ishida had gathered was concentrated into a solid crossbow bolt.

Before Ichigo could even react, Ishida, fired that crossbow bolt at him. It was so fast that Ichigo barely dodged it. He saw it rocket down the street and explode in a fireball.

"Behind you!" Ishida shouted, appearing overhead. Ichigo turned around just as another bolt was fired downward at him. He jumped clear of the ensuring explosion. However, his caught totally by surprise when Ishida reappeared right in front of him.

"It's over. Kurosaki," he said. Ichigo had no time to react when a crossbow bolt penetrated his body. It flew into the sky and exploded. Ichigo fell to the ground, gasping for breath. The bolt had narrowly missed his heart and his soul link and chain. Had any of those been hit, he would been dead. Even so, he now had gaping wound in his chest where blood was flowing out of in huge quantities. _Holy shit, that was close. He almost got me_. Ichigo struggled to his feet.

"Shit, I missed him," Ishida swore. He readied another bolt, but Ichigo wasn't taking any chances. He flew into the air to get as far away as possible.

"Running away are you? There's no way I'll let you escape!" Ishida shouted. He summoned a hover board below his feet using Hirenkyaku and flew after Ichigo. He chased him down until they both over Tokyo bay. The sky was now completely overcast, and smoke was rising from the spot where they had just fought. Ichigo grasped his chest and tried desperately to stem the bleeding.

"Damn, you're really serious about killing me aren't you?" Ichigo asked Ishida. "If that's the case, then I won't hold back. I'll give it everything I've got!" He placed his left hand over his face, and gathered reiatsu around him. Ishida was shocked when a spiraling ball of black and red energy over thirty feet wide engulfed Ichigo. The reiatsu being emitted from it was astounding; Ishida himself could barely withstand. The shockwaves produced by the ball affected the entire region, with giant waves spreading out from the epicenter and lashing against the coast.

When the ball of energy cleared, Ichigo was revealed, with a frightening red and white hollow mask over his face. Ishida known about Ichigo's Vizard form, but this was the first time he had seen it up close, and it frightened him. The fear he experienced caused him to hesitate, when Ichigo suddenly pounced. At the speed of sound he slashed at Ishida, who just managed to pull out a Seele Schneider to block. They locked blades for over a minute, with Ishida losing ground to Ichigo. He tried firing a bolt one-handed. This actually managed to force Ichigo back a hundred feet into the air.

Ichigo wasn't finished however. He fired an enormous black Getsuga Tensho at Ishida, who tried repelling it with a bolt of his own. He turned his head in shock when he saw Ichigo had Shunpo-ed behind him and fired another equally large Getsuga Tensho from below. Ishida fired several desperate shots at the blasts, but each bolt went through without doing anything. At the last moment before the two hit, Ishida leaped clear. He watched as the two blasts collide in a deafening explosion. Now desperate and out of answers, he tried using his last resorts. He pulled out a few ginto tubes from the pockets of his pants. He threw them at Ichigo, who had no idea what Ishida was doing.

"Battle formation of the air, please accept this holy offering! HAIZEN!!" Ishida shouted. All of the sudden a huge sheet of metal came out of nowhere and sliced Ichigo's left arm clean from his shoulders. Ichigo gasped in pain and clutched his left arm socket.

"What now Kurosaki? You can't fight me with one arm," Ishida gloated. Ichigo laughed madly. He gave a frightening yell and regenerated his entire army, cloth and all, from its sockets. Ishida was totally shocked and horrified at the sight.

"Surprised? This is one of my hollow abilities. I can regenerate any limbs of my body as long as I have spirit energy remaining," Ichigo said. Now, here's another one of my hollow abilities. He pointed the index and middle fingers of his newly formed left hand, and channeled a ball of red energy at their tip. Ishida's eyes widened. Ichigo fired a massive cero beam at him. Ishida just managed to dodge the blast, which disappeared over the horizon. He failed to notice however, that Ichigo was already behind him. Ichigo kicked Ishida hard in the face, breaking his nose. Ishida was flung backwards a hundred feet, grasping his nose in pain. _Shit, he's too fast and his moves are too deadly. He's just going to dodge every shot I do. I need to finish him off with one giant attack, but how?_ Ishida then remembered another technique up his sleeve. He took more ginto tubes out of his pockets and flung them at Ichigo.

"Not those things again," Ichigo moaned.

"Zeller trick fawn keats halt fuerto, GRITZ!!" Ishida shouted. All of the sudden a massive cloth with a five-sided Quincy cross appeared and completely covered Ichigo, who was caught by surprise. He tried to break free, but somehow he was restrained as if by a binding spell.

"Hey, what the hell is this?" he shouted. Ishida didn't respond. Instead, at rapid speed he circled Ichigo, placing his remaining Seele Schneiders in a pentagram formation. Each of them started gathering spirit particles as soon as they were in place. With Ichigo paralyzed and surrounded by a pangram barrier, Ishida only had to place some fluid from the ginto inside to trigger his explosion. This was Sprenger, his most powerful move.

"Goodbye, Kurosaki. It was nice knowing you," Ishida said. He dropped the liquid into one of the Seele Schneiders, instantly triggering a truly cataclysmic explosion. Ishida ran clear of the blast radius, as a mushroom cloud formed high above the bay. To the onlookers on the ground, it was if another atomic bomb had hit them, and people everywhere started screaming like crazy. Chaos ensured, and the city of Tokyo was brought to its knees. Ishida wasn't aware of any of that. He just watched to see if he had succeeded in killing Ichigo. When the smoke started to clear, he heard someone laugh. It was a mad laugh, as if coming from a deranged monster.

"Was that your best attack, Ishida? Too bad it didn't succeed," Ichigo said. Ishida was shocked. _How could anyone have survived that attack? The explosion was as powerful as an atomic bomb!_ Then the smoke finally cleared and he saw how Ichigo had survived. A bright orange force field completely surrounded his body. It was pyramidal in shape, tapering at its apex. Ishida recognized it; it was Negacion, the same move that Aizen had used to escape Soul Society.

"How, how did you manage to that? You were paralyzed by my spell!" Ishida shouted.

"Well, I've mastered every single hollow ability, so casting a Negacion without using any hands was simple. And since nothing can affect me right now, the explosion you just used was useless," Ichigo explained. He breathed deeply. "Still, it took a lot of my energy to break out of that spell of yours, and my mask is just about to break." Ichigo noticed that the strings on Ishida's crossbow were about to come off.

"You're at your limit too? Then let's make this our final attack."

"Fine then," Ishida agreed. "We both don't have enough energy to fight anymore. This clash will conclude everything." He gathered as many spirit particles as he could and solidified them into a super powerful crossbow bolt. Ichigo channeled all of his remaining energy into Zangetsu, for one last Getsuga Tensho. They launched their attacks at the same time, causing two simultaneous explosions that rocketed the sky. When the smoke cleared, Ichigo and Ishida stood facing each other. Ichigo had another gaping hole near his waist; Ishida had a huge slash down his right side. They stared into each other's eyes, both remembering happier times when they were friends. Then they both started falling. However, before they could tumble into the sea, they were saved…by their fathers. Ryuken and Isshin, the older Ishida and Kurosaki, faced each other, with their delinquent sons on their backs. Ryuken was in his lab coat, holding his bow; Isshin was in his Shinigami form, with his sword sheathed by his side.

"Sorry about all the mess that my idiot son caused, Ishida," Isshin said. "No hard feelings?" Ryuken smiled.

"Of course not. My son was just as idiotic as yours. Both of us will have to discipline them hard later. But first they need medical attention. My surgery is nearby, and I can heal him myself. What about you?"

"Unohana and the other Shinigami are arriving as we speak. I'll have Retsu heal Ichigo and then bring him over to his house. Just one last thing though: Can you help me deal with the police? This stupid fight between our sons has caused a shit storm throughout the entire city, and possibly the whole country as well. Aizen's attention will be focused on us now.

"I'll be happy to help you, since we're both going to be put under heavy police questioning. I don't want that, and neither do you."

"Yeah, that's true. Well, see you some time later, old friend." Isshin and Ryuken parted ways, carrying their sons on their backs. As they both returned to dry land, in both their minds they thought how they had fought a similar battle to this one, so many years ago. One that had poisoned their friendship for many years.

* * *

Notes: Wow, this chapter took a real effort. I really tried to get the feal of those classic Bleach Fights whilst making Ichigo and Ishida's fight as epic as possible. I've included every conceivable power-up and technique they've ever used in the manga or will use. Ichigo's current powers are based on the assumption that he will master his Vizard form and learn hollow moves when he defeats Ulquiorra. As for Ishida's final form, I figured since his power and skills have increased, he has learned how to attain the form much more easily. The power of his Quincy Final Form is also much less than when Ishida fought Mayuri, since the real world does not have as much spirit particles as Soul Society.

More reviews please, keep them coming! I especially want to know how you guys think about the fight. Next chapter will feature more of Ichigo's inner world, which means Hollow Ichigo and Zangetsu!


	6. Chapter 6: The Blade and Me

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Events so far: After Ikakku and Keigo's sister's wedding concluded, Ichigo left the temple, but was confronted by Tatsuki. The two of them had an argument which ended with Tatsuki getting kicked in the stomach and the face. Ichigo left her lying on the ground, but was then confronted by Ishida. The Quincy renewed his hatred for the Subsititute Shinigami and a battle across the streets of Tokyo began. Both fighters continually upped the stakes, unleashing their strongest moves and devasting multiple buildings. The battle shifted to Tokyo Bay, where Final Form Ishida and Vizard Ichigo clashed one last time, in a titanic explosion of reiatsu that left both of them of them mortally wounded. They were saved from drowning by their parents, who took them both to hospital for healing.

* * *

Chapter 6: The Blade and Me

Rukia felt terrible. It was Sunday morning, and she hadn't slept all night. Ichigo was lying on their bed, still in a coma. When his father had brought him back to Captain Unohana, she almost cried when she the wounds he had sustained. A huge gaping hole had been torn right through his lungs, and another gaping hole had ripped through his abdomen. It was Aizen and Sokyoku all over again; Ichigo almost killed and she couldn't do anything about it. It was a miracle that Unohana managed to close up both holes and staunch the bleeding. The last words she said to her were still on Rukia's mind.

"_Kurosaki Ichigo has escaped death, but he is still in a critical condition. I do not know when he will regain consciousness, but when he does, please give him these."_ Unohana had given her two bottles of special medication which restored the spirit energy of a being and healed internal organs. From feeling Ichigo's reiatsu, she could tell that he would need it. His spirit energy had almost completely drained away, and obviously his lungs and intestines had been blown to pieces. Her body so wanted to just lie down and go to sleep, but Rukia refused to. She somehow knew she had to stay awake until Ichigo got better.

"Why, Ichigo? Why did you do this to yourself?" she asked him, although she knew she was only asking herself. "You always keep rushing ahead and getting into fights. Why don't you ever stop and think about what you're doing, you stupid idiot." She bowed her heard in frustration. "Why am I even talking? I doubt you can hear me right now."

* * *

As it turned out, Ichigo could hear or see nothing of the world around him. The moment he awakened his eyes he found himself in a strange place. It partially resembled the skyscrapers of Shinjuku, except that all of the buildings were gray, and it was raining. Pouring down like a thunderstorm was the most apt description for it. Within seconds Ichigo was completely soaked down to his bones. But did he have any bones right now? Somehow he felt as if he had no substance, as if this wasn't actually his body. When he looked down, he noticed the reason why. He had been lying down on the _walls_ of a skyscraper and down below was a vast pool of water that had drowned the bottoms of all the buildings. Ichigo recognized this place. It was his inner world. He had been here many times. The first when he was regaining his Shinigami powers with Urahara, the second right after he was stabbed in the heart by Kenpachi. The third time was when he was fighting his inner hollow for domination of his body during the Vizard training. The fourth and previous time had been during his second and final fight with Ulquiorra, when he and his hollow finally agreed to join forces and unleash their combined powers.

What was instantly different about his inner world this time was the rain. There was no escaping it. Everywhere he looked there was rain. This had never happened before. Even when he was turning into a hollow, the sky had still been nice and sunny. As he stood upon the surface of the building, he heard a familiar laugh. He turned around saw his inner hollow, dressed in white Shinigami robes, with the usual smirk on his face.

"**Welcome back, King**," his hollow greeted him. "**Boy, look at this rain. What a downpour! My clothes are all soaked. Honestly, what's wrong with you King? You've created a flood or something!**"

"I did?" Ichigo "But how? How come this place is raining? It was never like this before!"

"Perhaps I should explain it to you," came a familiar voice. A voice Ichigo hadn't heard for a very long time. A voice that was comforting. He shifted his gaze and saw a familiar figure, draped entirely in black, standing on the _side_ of a flagpole.

"Zangetsu ossan…" Ichigo stuttered.

"This is what happens when you have sadness in your heart," Zangetsu explained. "Your inner world reflects the state of your own emotions. When you are happy or confident the world is sunny. When you are sad it rains. When you are angry or enraged it trembles with earthquakes. I should have told you all this back when you first called out my name."

"Then why didn't you, old man?" Ichigo asked. "Why haven't you spoken to me for such a long time? Since you disappeared, I've had to listen to nothing but the voice of my hollow, and it almost drove me crazy!"

"**Sorry King. I held him back for too long. Didn't know this was going to happen, so I've decided to bring him out again to fix all of the trouble I caused,**" Ichigo's hollow said. Ichigo looked at him in surprise. This was something he never expected his hollow say. His tone was filled with regret.

"It's my fault as well. I allowed myself to be absorbed, because I thought your hollow was the most capable one to teach you how to fight and control your powers probably. Your fighting instincts are perfect, and you have near complete mastery of the powers you have been given. However, there's a problem," Zangetsu stared at Ichigo. "You've lost your resolve completely. Fighting with your instincts is a good thing. It allows you to react quickly and survive life threatening situations. Without instincts you're just nothing but some person with a big stick who doesn't know how to use it."

"Oh yeah," Ichigo recalled his second inner world conversation, when he was forced to defend against his hollow with nothing but a stick.

"At the same time though, fighting solely through instincts is also a bad thing. All animals rely on instincts to survive. However, what separates humans from animals is their ability to think rationally and make decisions affect more than just your own personal survival. A warrior who relies on instinct alone becomes nothing more than a primitive beast, which is exactly what hollows are."

"**That's right. I made you fight like I did, but I didn't foresee that you would become even more barbaric and brutal than I was. Just look at what you did to that friend of yours!**" Ichigo's hollow sighed. "**It's true that I don't want to bear the burden of a weak and foolish king who doesn't know how to fight, and I'm glad that you're no longer that sort of King anymore. But I also don't like to be the steed of a mad and tyrannical king who doesn't know where he's going."**

"You see what we're telling you, Ichigo? You've totally lost the direction of your life, your very own purpose to exist. Wasn't the goal of yours to become strong enough to protect everyone around you? Where has that purpose gone? Have you gone back on it? Have you become so cruel that you're willing to hurt your friends for no reason." Zangetsu's words pierced Ichigo like sharp nails. Everything the old man and his hollow had said was true. He had gone back on the very promises he had sworn to himself. He no longer knew what he was fighting for. Killing hollows had become nothing more than a chore than a duty he had to fulfill. And his friends, his nakama, he had abandoned them all. He had left Orihime and Chad at Aizen's mercy, and what he did to Tatsuki and Ishida was in truth unforgivable. As the rain intensified and thunder started lashing the sky, the outer layers of Ichigo's skin, his emotional skin, were being peeled away. The tough guy front he had shown to the world for more than ten years, the steely resolve to never see anyone get hurt again, all of it was stripped away, and now he was nothing more than the scared little boy who cried all of time.

"I'm so terrible old man!" Ichigo sobbed. 'I've done things that I can't ever justify! Why should I deserve to live? I don't have a purpose anymore! I can't protect people, and I've hurt my nakama terribly! No one seems to trust me anymore…" he drowned in his own sorrows and the rain.

"Ichigo. Get up." Zangetsu walked over and grabbed him by his shirt collar. He stared into Ichigo's eyes again. "Seeing you like this is insulting to me and your other. What's become of you? Where is the strong Ichigo that I knew? I know why you've become like this. You've lost all hope haven't you? You feel that it's pointless trying anymore since evil has basically won. All these years you've been living in a state of denial, unwilling to reach out to your nakama. That kind of thinking of foolish. Don't ever give up on hope. Hope is the only thing that keeps people who have lost everything from willing themselves out of existence. Evil never triumphs. Good may be crushed beneath its heel but deep down it's there, still resisting." Zangetsu let go of Ichigo, who kept on staring at his stern face.

"Face your fears Ichigo! Don't run away from them! Face them like a man and trample them down. Never abandon your nakama like that! Your true source of strength comes them. Ever since you were born you needed to someone who could be your pillar of support to rest on when you are down. You've all but eliminated your pillars of support. Should they collapse completely, the very foundations of your world will collapse too." _He's right_, Ichigo thought. _First my mother, then Tatsuki and Chad, and then Rukia, and all of the others. I've depended on them to survive. Without them, I am nothing. I've allowed two of them to crumble without doing anything, and I've almost caused another two to fell. I've got to get them back! _He suddenly noticed that the raining was beginning to lighten.

"You see Ichigo. Your heart has strengthened. That is why the rain is stopping," Zangetsu said. Are you ready then to reaffirm your resolve? Don't be afraid. Scream if out with all of your heart." Ichigo nodded. He took a deep breath, and then shouted.

"I WILL PROTECT MY FAMILY, I WILL PROTECT MY NAKAMA, AND I WILL PROTECT EVERYONE UNTIL THE DAY I DIE. I WON'T LET ANY OF THEM GET HURT EVER AGAIN!!" Suddenly the rain disappeared and it became sunny again. White fluffy clouds dotted the sky, and a brilliant rainbow soared over the horizon.

"Very good Ichigo. Your world has now been restored. Just to give you an incentive to keep on fighting, we shall teach you another technique," Zangetsu said.

"Another technique? You mean you have another move I can use?" Ichigo asked

"**Of course King! You've already used it once yourself, but you weren't aware of it! Remember this move?" **Ichigo's hollow explained. Zangetsu's blade form appeared in his hands, and the hollow immediately pulled it out, and began twirling it around using the hilt wrap. Ichigo's eyes widened. It was the same move his hollow had used on him during his second inner world encounter, and it was the same move he had used to destroy the Sokyoku stand. He often wondered how ever managed to do it. Zangetsu must have increased its power many times over in that single instant in order to have destroyed something which could have withstood a million zanpakutos.

"You remember now Ichigo? This is my other move: Chouseki Hadou, tidal surge," Zangetsu said.

"**With this move, you swing Zangetsu in a centrifugal motion, and as you do so, the friction it creates with the air generates current that builds up inside the blade. Hence the reiatsu of the blade increases and can be multiplied many times over. But the build up of current can become so great that it can't be contained. If there is too much, the blade itself might explode. So, you need to discharge it, like this!"** Ichigo's hollow thrust Zangetsu outward using both hands. All of a sudden a massively powerful beam shot out of it and tore through the centre of multiple buildings. Ichigo gaped in shock. That attack was many times more powerful than any Getsuga Tensho he could fire in Shikai.

"There is a downside to this move though," Zangetsu stated. "You can only use it once every time. To use it gain, you'll need to twirl it around to build up the current. But, once the current has been charged to maximum, you can do whatever you want with it. You can discharge it like Getsuga Tensho, throw the blade outwards like a spear, swing it around like a morning star, or use it to increase the blade's density and cutting power a thousand or a million times over. What's more, use it when in Bankai and it will be even more powerful." Ichigo was almost overwhelmed by this new move. He knew perfectly well how to do it; he just didn't know it was this powerful. Now he another move to his blade, one even more powerful than Getsuga Tensho.

"Thanks Zangetsu, and thanks, other me. Without your help, I would never have gotten myself out of there," Ichigo said. He willed himself out of his inner world and back to consciousness.

* * *

When Ichigo opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was Rukia, resting soundly upon his chest. She looked so delicate and soft, and she had the cutest expression he had ever seen on her face. He tried lifting himself up but he grimaced; the pain of the wounds he had received was still there. His shifting about caused Rukia to stir, and open her eyes.

"Ichigo?" she asked.

"Rukia…" Ichigo began. Rukia then realized she was actually lying on him and quickly stood up, her face having turned pink in embarrassment.

"Finally, you're awake," she said. "You've been asleep for a whole day. It's now early Monday morning." Ichigo stared at Rukia, and then at the clock mounted on the bedroom wall. Then he realized what Monday meant.

"Holy shit, I'm going to be late for work!" he exclaimed. He tried getting up but Rukia pushed him back down.

"Relax, Keigo and Mizuiro have already promised to tell your superiors at the police station that you suffered an accident on the weekends and won't be available for work. You'll need several days to recover anyway. Be glad that your father recovered you right after the battle and gave you to Unohana to heal. Otherwise, you would have been lying at the bottom of Tokyo bay."

"Oh yeah…" Ichigo recalled the end of his battle with Ishida. Both of them started to tumble into the bay right after their final attacks.

"Seriously, what were you thinking? Were you honestly dead set on killing Ishida?" Rukia asked. "What made the two of you want to fight to the death? If it's about Tatsuki you could have apologized and gone back to help her. I've spoken to Tatsuki and she told me that she's sorry for dragging you and Ishida into this mess." She got up and exited the bedroom, muttering "Stupid Ichigo" over and over again. Ichigo continued to lie on his bed, thinking about what course of action he should take. He knew he had to apologize to both Tatsuki and Ishida. Tatsuki would be easy; he knew where she lived and Rukia's words made him presume that she had gotten over her anger at him. Ishida was more difficult. He was injured just as badly as Ichigo and was likely recovering in his father's hospital. Ichigo had never seen Ishida's father, and he doubted that he would just let him in to see his son. _Alright then, I'll go see Tatsuki and apologize to Ishida by phone. _

For the next two days, Ichigo spent the whole of his time recovering in bed. The pain from his wounds was mostly gone, and the only things visible were the scars on his body. On Wednesday, he felt good enough to return to work. He reported for duty at the police station, surprising Keigo and Mizuiro who thought he would have taken longer to recover.

"Ichigo!" Keigo shouted in an extremely happy tone. "It's so nice to see you again."

"Yeah, you two," Ichigo said. "I'm sorry for the ruckus I caused at the end of the wedding. Your sister must have been furious."

"Nah, it's okay. Those Shinigami friends of yours erased all of my family's memories except mine, so they don't know about your fight with Uryu. In fact, my entire family's been talking about the mysterious 'explosion' over Tokyo bay. It's been on the news non-stop." Ichigo laughed. The explosion had been the 'Sprenger' spell Ishida had used against him.

"So, how is your sister and Ikkaku?"

"Oh them? They've gone off on a seven day honeymoon. They brought fifty thousand yen with them…most expensive trip ever." Keigo shook his head. The two of them along with Mizuiro continued to talk about random things before they were assigned for patrol duties. At four in the afternoon, Ichigo ended his shift. Before returning home, he drove over to Tatsuki's house. He knocked on the front door. For a while no one answered. Then there was a voice on the other side.

"Who is it?" Tatsuki's voice asked.

"It's me, Ichigo," Ichigo answered. There was a pause, before the door finally opened. Tatsuki had straps around her waist and stitches on her nose.

"What are you doing here, Ichigo?"

"I've just come by to say that I'm sorry. I've been a real jerk lately. I hurt you terribly and left you lying there on the street. The old me would have never done that. Plus, Ishida and I got into that terrible fight."

"It's okay," Tatsuki said. "Rukia told me the full story, and I realized I had been a jerk as well. I forgot how hard Orihime's loss must have been for you as well. And I didn't imagine Uyru would react in such a way. I'm not important enough for the two of you to fight to the death over. I understand that you now live in a world beyond the mortal plane, and you have to deal with issues that normal humans like myself can't even imagine. And if what you say about Orihime is true, then I guess she might have changed. I wonder what being with God feels like. It must be a thousand times more amazing then what I experienced in that other world." Tatsuki grasped Ichigo's hands.

"Tatsuki, I promise you that someday, I'll cast down the evil God that rules over all of us and bring back Orihime. I'll fight until my dying breath in order to save her. You can count on me for that," Ichigo said. Tatsuki kissed Ichigo on the cheek.

"That's the Ichigo I want to hear," she said. Ichigo smiled.

"By the way, if Ishida ever stops by, can you ask him to meet me?"

"Sure." Ichigo said goodbye to Tatsuki and went back to his car. Along the way home, a sudden thunderstorm erupted, drenching the streets in the same kind of rain that Ichigo had experienced in his inner world. He wondered if this thunderstorm was a premonition. Somehow, strange and emotional events had always happened to him whenever a thunderstorm appeared. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen to him.

It came as a shock to Ichigo then, to see Rukia, wearing nothing but a light blue dress, and holding an umbrella and handbag in her hands, standing on the pavement beside the street he was driving through. He stopped by the curb and opened his window.

"Rukia! What are you doing standing in the rain? Get inside quick or you'll catch a cold!" Ichigo called out. Rukia hesitated at first, but then slowly opened the back door and got inside. From his rearview mirror, Ichigo could see that she was soaking wet. He quickly drove home and parked his police car in the underground car park. He offered to carry Rukia upstairs to the apartment but she refused, wanting to go up by herself. When the two of them (plus Kon) entered their apartment, Rukia went straight to the kitchen and made herself some tea. She didn't even say a word to Ichigo, let alone Kon. Throughout the entire dinner, they didn't say a single word. Ichigo was really concerned about this. Ever since Rukia had walked out when he regained consciousness two days ago, she hadn't spoken a word to him. After dinner was over and Rukia started washing the dishes, Ichigo tried standing behind her.

"Rukia, why have you been so silent?" he asked in a soft voice. "You haven't talked to me for two days. Is there something on your mind?" He tried grasping her shoulders.

"Go away! It's none of your business!" Rukia shouted. "Why are you so worried that I'm not speaking to you? Nothing is wrong with me, so go away!"

"Okay," Ichigo walked off and went inside the bedroom. He slumped on the bed and started reading a Jump manga that was lying beside the bed. _Geez, what's with Rukia? She looked like she was depressed_. He continued reading, whilst listening to Rukia washing the dishes.

* * *

Rukia picked up a kitchen knife she had used to cut up the meat. An unusual thought crept into her mind…_she wanted to die_. She saw no point trying to live like this: she had been living a lie for so long. Over the past two days she had tried going out and finding something, anything, that would make her cherish life and feel like living. But she failed. She was too sickened by modern Japanese society, by the consumer culture that had seeped into the cracks of nearly every aspect of life. Jewelry, clothes, make-up, even rabbit shaped items didn't interest her anymore. Being a Shinigami was also pointless; there were so captains and vice-captains around, not to mention Ichigo, that she wasn't needed at all to protect the streets from hollows. She doubted she would contribute much to the coming invasion. She had watched the people she loved die or suffer before her eyes, sometimes by her own hand. _I'm so useless_, she thought. It would be better to end things quickly. One stab in the heart and all of her worries would be gone for good.

"I'm sorry, Nii-sama, Ichigo, Renji," she said quietly to herself. "I'm sorry I had to do this. Please forgive me." Tears started flowing her face, and for a moment she couldn't continue on because her emotions overwhelmed her. But then she steeled her resolved. "Goodbye." The knife went through her heart.

* * *

Ichigo heard a splat sound coming from the kitchen. He quickly jumped out of bed and ran out. His eyes widened when he saw Rukia was lying on the ground, a knife sticking out of her chest, blood flowing all over the floor. He hastily pulled out the knife and tried to staunch the bleeding. He then attempted to revive her, but she showed no signs of life.

"Rukia, wake up, don't die on me now," Ichigo said, now filled with anxiety. "Please don't give up! Rukia, RUKIA!!"

Notes: So Ichigo has another talk with Zangestu and his hollow, and learns a new shikai ability. But what's this? Rukia has committed suicide? Will she live or die? Find out next chapter!

About Ichigo's new shikai ability:

Chouseki Hadou means 'Tidal surge', Chouseki being a word associated with tides and hadou being another word for surge. It's another phenomena that's associated with the moon, since tides are caused by the moon's gravity over the oceans. For those of you who don't know, this move was used by Ichigo and his hollow a few times in the manga, once during Ichigo's fight with Kenpachi, and the second time against the Sokyoku stand to free Rukia. I always wondered why Ichigo never performed that move again, so I thought it was nice to bring it back.

Keep the reviews coming! I really want to know what you think about my story.


	7. Chapter 7: Wind and Snowbound

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Events so far: After his climactic battle with Ishida, Ichigo was healed by Captain Unohana, who then asked Rukia to watch over him. During his struggle to recover from his injuries, Ichigo had another another inner world conversation, this time with both Zangetsu and his inner hollow. Learning about how his troubled emotions caused rain to fall in his inner world, Ichigo recovered his resolve to protect his friends and family and in the process learned a new shikai ability. After he recovers, Ichigo visits Tatsuki to apologize to her and to Ishida. On the way back, he finds Rukia standing in the rain and brings her home. Later that evening, Rukia questions the purpose of her life, and in the end, decides to commit suicide...

* * *

Chapter 7: Wind and Snowbound.

Ichigo sat nervously on the chair, staring at the bright green monitor, where a thin line continually bumped up and down roughly every second. On its own the line was meaningless; when it was placed beside Rukia, in a coma and on heavy life support, it meant everything. Ichigo had rushed Rukia to hospital as quick as he could. He stormed into the emergency bay and had demanded and got Unohana's attention. She and her team of undercover fourth division members quickly placed Rukia into intensive surgery. For four hours it was touch and go, with Ichigo being forced to wait outside, uncertain about Rukia's fate. Well past midnight, Unohana came out of the surgery bay to confirm that the surgery had been a success. _We found a replacement heart for Rukia's gigai and stabilized the spirit-gigai transfer link. She is still in a critical condition, but she has escaped death, so far. We shall transfer her to a recovery bay. You may remain beside her until she wakes up. _Those were Unohana's exact words. Although Ichigo was relieved that Rukia wasn't dead yet, he still hadn't shaken his feeling her concern. He had seen her eyes when she was brought out of surgery, and they were eyes of sadness.

Just then Ichigo heard shouts coming from the corridor outside. Then the door of the ward burst open and a furious Renji, wearing the same punk t-shirt, pants and fur scarf he had worn at his shop, came charging in. He didn't hesitate in grabbing Ichigo by the collar and lifting him up. The undercover fourth division member who was also in the room tried to stop him, but Renji backhanded her to the ground.

"What have you done with Rukia?" Renji asked in an angry tone. "How could she end up with a knife through her heart? Obviously you have something to do with it. Speak!!"

"Settle down Renji and let me explain!" Ichigo protested.

"I don't settle down, not after you failed to protect her!" Renji tightened his grip around Ichigo's neck.

"It wasn't my fault!" Ichigo tried to speak despite being strangled. "I saw there was something wrong with Rukia and tried to help her, but she refused. Then as she was washing the dishes I heard a blood splatter and when I rushed out I found Rukia on the floor with a knife through her chest. That was what happened! I swear!" Renji released his grip on Ichigo, who fell to the floor, gasping for breath.

"Why…why would Rukia want to kill herself? When she and you visited my shop, she sounded so happy to be with you," Renji clutched his face in despair.

"I fear that was but a mask she put over herself," came a voice from the door. Renji and Ichigo turned and saw Byakuya, who was leaning against the side of the wall.

"Captain! What are you doing here?" Renji asked.

"To see Rukia of course," Byakuya replied.

"Wait a second, what did you just say before?" Ichigo asked. Byakuya closed his eyes.

"Rukia's always been like this, since I first met her. When I took her in, I was still deeply grieving for my lost wife Hisana, and so I presented an outwardly cold image of myself. Rukia assumed that she too had to act like that, and so she put a wall of silence around her body. For the next fifty years, the only person I know who succeeded in breaking through that wall was Shiba Kaien, Vice Captain of the 13th division. Apparently Rukia developed strong emotional attachments to him. You know of course, what happened next." Renji and Ichigo both nodded; it had become common knowledge that Kaien had been killed by Rukia, in self defence.

"Rukia couldn't forgive herself for taking the life of the man she loved, and so she tried to abstain from reaching out to any person. Things became complicated of course, when she met you, Kurosaki Ichigo. Because you resembled her beloved vice-captain so much, she began to develop the same sort of feelings for you that she did for him. You of all people should know the events that transpired after that." Ichigo nodded. From her time in incarceration to the destruction of Karakura, Rukia kept on blaming herself for the trouble she had caused for her loved ones and friends. Throughout all of this, Ichigo had a sense that Rukia was trying to prove her usefulness and failing, and perhaps thinking that there wasn't a point in living.

"Rukia, I don't know if you can hear this, but please, don't give up on yourself. You don't have to prove your usefulness in order to feel alive," Ichigo said.

* * *

Unfortunately for Ichigo, Rukia was in another world right now, lying precariously between life and death. _Where am I? I feel so cold. Is this the realm of death? But then, I'm already dead. Is this the sea of souls then? But how come I'm still aware of my own body? Spirits who die lose all sense of their awareness…_ She opened her eyes and squinted. All around her was an endless patch of white. She got up, and noticed that she was standing in a thick compressed layer of snow. As far as the eye could see was a barren plain of snow, dotted by dead trees. Snow continued to fall, sometimes as snowflakes, sometimes as hailstones. Rukia shivered; she noticed she was wearing only the white robes she had worn after she had lost her powers. She trudged through the snow, wondering if there was anyone else in this wilderness, and how the hell to get out of this place. As she walked, signs of death and decay were present all around her. Dead rabbit carcasses, burnt branches and shrubs, and marked graves dotted what resembled a track. Rukia followed this track up a hill, noticing the giant tree which cast an impressive canopy even though all of its leaves had fallen off. When she neared the tree, she caught sight of a woman sitting on a log, motionless. She was wearing a white kimono with red patches on it, almost as if she was a bride at a wedding. The kimono would have been absolutely stunning, if it didn't look ragged and stained by dirt and snow. Rukia walked towards the woman, whose back was turned towards her.

"Um, excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" Rukia asked tentatively.

"How depressing, you don't even know what place this is?" the woman responded in the coldest voice Rukia had ever heard. "I'm so disappointed in you, Rukia." The woman turned her around, and Rukia was shocked by her appearance. She had delicate black hair and pale white skin, and would have been beautiful if her face hadn't been blemished by wrinkles and scars. To Rukia, she looked like an old woman who was on the verge of death. Rukia was about to ask who she was, when suddenly she remembered she had seen someone like her before.

"Shirayuki…" Rukia stuttered. The woman smiled, still looking grotesque.

"I'm glad you still remember my name at least," Shirayuki said.

"But you look different to how I remembered; you were beautiful the first time I met you!"

"Of course, but I've changed, and so have you. Don't you know what this place is? It's your inner world Rukia. This is what your mind is really like." Rukia was taken aback. She was feeling depressed recently, and the last thing in her mind was the thought of death and sadness. But seeing those feelings reflected so starkly like this made her waver.

"Am, I really like this?" Rukia asked.

"Don't you know? Your inner world changes depending on your emotional state, and the change is reflected in seasons. When you become depressed, autumn arrives and the leaves start falling. When your heart is completely cold like you are now, winter takes a grip on this world and everything starts dying. When you start lightening up, spring appears and flowers bloom again. And when you are feeling truly happy, this world basks in summer sun, and rabbits bounce around in a joyful display of life." Rukia was especially moved when rabbits were mentioned. Rabbits were here favourite animal, and she dearly wanted to own her. Shirayuki saw through her thoughts, and sighed.

"Sadly there are no rabbits anymore. All of them are dead, and so is everything else. This place has been in the grip of a deep winter for at least forty years, and the ground has been covered in a layer of snow metres thick." Rukia was appalled at how awful her inner world had become.

"How…how come it's all like this? What happened?"

"You happened, Rukia. You were once vibrant and happy, before you unlocked my powers. Even though you didn't know me, I was content to live inside you, enjoying the warmth and radiance you brought to this world. But then you changed. When your brother adopted you, you somehow lost your vitality, and started becoming withdrawn and detached. Subsequently, the trees started dying and autumn set in. It became spring again when you met your beloved Kaien-dono, whom you admired so much. But of course, you better than anyone know what happened after that." Rukia nodded. Ever since Kaien-dono's death, she had closed her heart completely, forever trying to fill the empty void that was inside her.

"Ever since that fateful day, it has been nothing but winter, and it's made your world the way it is now. My appearance too, was because of you. You didn't speak to me at all during those years that I resigned myself to wandering around this wilderness, slowly losing the will to live. The emotional wounds you've inflicted upon yourself…well they've become part of my body." Shirayuki took off her kimono and let it fall to the ground. Rukia gasped at her spirit's naked body. It was hideous. There were so many scars covering Shirayuki's torso and legs that Rukia couldn't bear to look.

"Don't shy away!" Shirayuki yelled. "This is the record of all the hate and sadness you've kept hidden inside yourself. Every time you experience suffering or see loved ones suffer, you withdraw it inside yourself and run away from it, just like you're trying to run away from me now. Face it! Face those raw emotions head on! You won't become better by bottling them inside you!" Shirayuki's words, and the starkness of her body, made Rukia flinch, and then fall to the ground. She sobbed. Everything her spirit said was true. She had run away from everything, and from everyone she had met. She abandoned Renji when she was adopted by Byakuya, and subsequently avoided seeing her brother's eyes. She ran away from her guilt over killing Kaien, and again when she met Ichigo. The sadness, the guilt, the lies, the loneliness, everything got to her.

"I'm so pathetic! Why do I even exit? My whole life has been a failure! All of the people who have befriended me, Renji, Nii-sama, Ichigo, I don't deserve their love and attention! What good have I done? I've failed at life. I should have died when Hisana abandoned me; then I wouldn't have to endure this endless torment!" Rukia wallowed on the ground, feeling the hard, wrenching cold grind against her breasts. She was about to strangle herself, when Shirayuki, having put on her kimono, restrained her.

"Calm down. Don't abase yourself like that. You're not pathetic Rukia. If you were, I wouldn't even speak to you, and I know you better than anyone else. Your friends, your nakama, and your brother, they love you for who you are, not what you've done. Don't think that just because you haven't done anything worth while means that you don't deserve their love and attention. They need you Rukia. Your loved ones need you. All of them lack something in their hearts that only you can give. And the hole that's been growing inside your heart can only be filled by them. Don't you remember what your beloved Kaien-dono told you? Share your heart with others. Don't die alone, because loneliness is the worst feeling you can have. If you suffer from pain, trauma, or sadness, share if with your nakama, because that's what nakama are for."

"Oh Shirayuki…" Rukia sobbed.

"I know you're a strong woman Rukia. You want to appear strong, and don't like to show your feelings. But sometimes, showing your feelings is the correct thing to do. Do you realize the hurt you've caused to other people just because you haven't shown yourself to them? They wanted to know all about you, to help you through tough times, but you refused. Isn't that a bit selfish? It isn't wrong to accept the help of others, Rukia."

Rukia stared into Shirayuki's eyes. Somehow, she noticed her spirit's face was beginning to heal, and no longer had as many wrinkles. She looked around, and noticed the snow had stopped falling, and the ground was starting to melt.

"What's happening?" she asked.

"Your heart's starting to lighten up, and so the dark winter that gripped this world is fading. When you return to the outside world, remember what I've told you. Hopefully, when we see each other again, we'll be meeting in a world that is blossoming with flowers and rabbits."

"Thank you, Shirayuki," Rukia said. Her spirit bowed with the elegance of a noblewoman, and Rukia bowed back. When Rukia stood up, a sudden gust of wind obscured her view. The world was receding from her, and she felt her body float in the void again.

* * *

Rukia awoke to gasps of joy and relief as she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the face of Ichigo staring right into her eyes. She squawked.

"Rukia, are you alright?" Ichigo asked.

"I was perfectly fine until you shoved your face into me!" Rukia protested. Ichigo laughed, but he was shoved aside by Renji who proceeded to stick his red tattooed mug right up against Rukia's face.

"Hey Rukia, how are you feeling?" Renji asked.

"I'm alright, apart from you sticking my face at me like that!" Rukia protested again.

"Leave her be, Renji," Byakuya said. "She needs some time to recuperate on her own." Rukia gasped when she saw Byakuya, looking as steadfast as always in a business suit and pants.

"Nii-sama…" Rukia stuttered. Just then, Captain Unohana walked into the ward, wearing a standard nurse outfit.

"Now, now gentlemen, visiting hours are over. Miss Kuchiki needs some time to recover by herself. You may visit her again tomorrow, or you will be notified of her discharge," Unohana said. Byakuya got up from his seat and walked over by Rukia's side.

"Rukia, when you come out of hospital, give me a call," he said. "I want to meet with you in private."

"Okay," Rukia nodded. She watched her brother walk out of the ward. Renji was the next to go. He held Rukia's hand.

"Take care Rukia. I'll see you again at the rendezvous point," he said.

"Alright, see you Renji," Rukia said. She watched Renji walk out of the ward. Finally, it was Ichigo's turn to leave. He went one step further than Renji and knelt down beside Rukia's side. To her surprise, he kissed her on the lips. She initially wanted to push him away, but then realized the kiss was so good she wanted more of it. She and Ichigo locked lips for nearly a whole minute before they parted.

"Rukia, I'm sorry for getting you into all of this," Ichigo said.

"Baka, it's me who should be sorry…for not keeping quiet all this time," Rukia teased.

"Call me after you're discharged. I'll drive by to take you home." Ichigo gave her one final wave before leaving the ward. Rukia was left to lie on the bed, feeling warmth inside her heart she had never felt in a long time.

* * *

Ishida Uryu awoke, shaking all over, head ringing with a painful headache. He squinted; the room he was in had barren white walls. He had rested upon a plain white bed, and the floor was a stark black in colour.

"Where am I?" he asked to himself.

"In the secret resting chamber, beneath my private surgery," Ishida's father, Ishida Ryuken, answered. Ishida turned around. His father was in his doctor's coat, looking as cool and calculating as ever. Then he looked at himself, wearing nothing but pyjamas, still with a mountain load bandages around his chest and left arm.

"You were a fool, Uryu. I told you to refrain from getting involved in Shinigami business, did I?" Ryuken asked. Ishida nodded. "Well, here's the reason why. Instead of protecting the lives of innocent people in the city alongside the Shinigami, you endanger their lives by getting into a reckless fight with one of the Shinigami over a pointless matter."

"You call protecting my friends' honour pointless?" Ishida felt angered. His father simply pushed up his glasses.

"Of course it's pointless. By pretending to defend your friends' honour you were only trying to uphold your own. Always you are too quick to react to personal insults, Uryu. You could have resolved matters with your Shinigami friend peacefully, and reached an amicable resolution that wouldn't have to involve conflict. Did you know that the girl who was attacked actually apologized to her attacker?"

"Tatsuki did?" Ishida was shocked.

"Yes, she telephoned me two days ago to explain that the incident with your friend Kurosaki Ichigo was all a mix up. She was actually the one who provoked him to attack. If you hadn't forced him to run off with you to battle, then the police wouldn't have been involved. Now you have a criminal charge hanging over your head, and there's only so much I can do to buy it off. You were seen all over Tokyo by television cameras and the public. That Sprenger spell you did caused the Japanese Government to panic, thinking a nuclear missile had been detonated over the city. The repair bill for the buildings you damaged run into the millions of yen." Ishida bowed his head in shame. Once again, his Quincy pride had led him to do something incredibly rash and stupid which ended up doing more damage to his friends and costing him personally as well. He remembered his first contest with Ichigo, when his hollow bait ended up attracting a menos hollow that almost got out of control. He then remembered his successive trips to Soul Society where he lost his powers fighting enemies who were vastly stronger than him.

"What should I do, father?" Ishida had almost lost hope. His father leaned against a wall and lit a cigar.

"Well, there's two choices in front of you," Ryuken explained. "Either you devote yourself to protect the living, and leave the task of protecting spirits to the Shinigami, or you join forces with the Shinigami, and listen to what they have to say. Working by yourself trying to hunt the hollows is a path that will only lead to the same tragedy that befell our people."

"It seems I don't have much of a choice do I? I can't just resign myself to the living, not when two of my friends are still being held captive by the enemy. Still, I don't know if blindly following the Shinigami is a good choice," Ishida said.

"Then perhaps you don't have a clear idea of what you want to protect yet," Ishida's father shook his head and sighed. "Remember what I told you four years ago, after you returned from Soul Society? That 'I have no interest and you have no talent'. Well I suspect that you know it's not exactly true. I have little joy of being a Quincy; you should know that our powers are not meant to be used to exterminate hollows. That is a job for Shinigami. Instead, our powers are meant to be used to protect those who are still living from harm."

"But, what about spirits? Shouldn't we be helping them as well?" Ishida protested. "Soul Society can't save all of them."

"True, and I doubt that Soul Society is in any position to save them right now. Remember though, that Soul Society is not the tranquil place that you or I imagined it to be. Some spirits, if they knew what it was really like, would refuse to pass on, and what then? They would probably become hollows and commit evil deeds. Do we, as Quincy then, kill them? It's a moral and ethical decision. Hollows aren't simply mindless beasts; they were people once. Unlike Shinigami, when we kill hollows, we eradicate them from existence. So before you use your powers against another spirit, consider what would happen to you if you suffered the same fate?" Ryuken's words revealed to Ishida the mind of a man who actually a deep understanding about the world. He was no longer the disinterested father who just wanted to make a profit.

"Father, I asked grandpa once what you wanted to protect, and at the time, I thought it was your money, but now I know the truth now," Ishida said with regret. "You protect the lives of everyone around you, not just those you consider friends. You strive to keep as many people alive as you can, for once they are dead, there is little you can do for them."

"You finally understand at last," Ryuken smiled. "You are more talented than I gave you credit for. I must tell you now, that I was like you once, selfish, headstrong and reckless. I fought Kurosaki Ichigo's father in much the same way as you fought him. We too, fought for over something seemingly pointless: the love of a woman. I was in love with Kurosaki Masaki at the same time as Ichigo's father was. I considered it scandalous that a Shinigami could fall in love with a human, since that was against Soul Society's rules. But in the end, I had to fight alongside him, to protect and hide both of us from persecution. It's the same with you, Uyru. You can choose to fight with Kurosaki Ichigo over and over again, or you can get stronger, work with him, to bring back the friends you have lost. What is your decision?" Ishida considered his father's offer carefully. It was similar to the offer he had made to him when he lost his powers. But this time it was different. There were strings attached, but the outcome was pretty much foreordained. He himself had tried to forget the horrors of the past as Ichigo did, and refused to make up for past mistakes. He knew now that blaming others wasn't going to solve anything if he didn't blame himself first.

"Alright father, I'll get stronger, work with Kurosaki again, and this time, I will save Orihime!" Ishida declared.

* * *

Two days later, Ichigo returned from the hospital, having picked up Rukia. She was feeling much better, and all the way back she had an affectionate smile on her face. When they got back to the apartment, they were surprised to find Isshin, Karin and Yuzu waiting for them.

"Rukia!" the three of them shouted in unison as soon as they saw her get out of the car.

"What, what is this?" Rukia asked in bewilderment as they all tried to hug her at once.

"We were so worried about you Rukia-chan," Isshin pretended to cry. "When we heard you were being discharged, we came over here to give you a warm welcome back!"

"Hooray for Rukia-san!" Karin and Yuzu laughed. Ichigo smiled. Seeing Rukia be happy for the first time in years relieved him greatly. As Rukia was dragged inside by his sisters, his father approached him.

"Son, what do you say we have a father-son bonding session?" Isshin asked.

"No way! All of your past 'bonding' trips turned out to be disasters!" Ichigo protested, remembering numerous failed fishing and hiking trips.

"This one's different though…you and I will be in Shinigami form for this." The look on his face made Ichigo think his father was serious.

* * *

Notes: This was another difficult chapter to write, mainly because I had to tread a fine line between exploring Rukia's inner emotions and going too OOC for her. I figured that having her inner world changing seasons was the best way of represnting the state of her heart and how she withdrew inside herself after Kaien's death. The symbolism of rabbits was also something I noted, since rabbits are Rukia's favourite animal. In her inner world, rabbits, being prolific breeders, represent fertility and vitality, and having all of the rabbits being dead signified that Rukia's vitality and happiness had all but gone.

Another difficult section was Ishida's talk with his father. This was another point where I veered slightly OOC for Ryuken. I figured that the words he said during Volume 15 and 21 were not literal statements and had hidden meaning. I also figured that Ryuken knew about Masaki and Isshin when he lost his powers.

Next chapter will showcase the training sessions of Ichigo and Rukia with their father and brother respectively. Isshin's zanpakto is going to be a big surprise!

Oh and keep the reviews coming! I've got a lot so far, but I really want more. Any suggestions are welcome.


	8. Chapter 8: Cigar BluesCherry Blossoms

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Summary so far: Having recovered from his titanic battle with Ishida, Ichigo reaffirms his resolve to protect his friends, and apologises to Tatsuki. Shortly afterwars, Rukia, feeling lonely and depressed, decides to commit suicide. Ichigo quickly takes her to hospital and she is put under intensive care. As Ichigo, Byakuya and Renji watch over her, Rukia has a conversation with her Zanpakto, Sode no Shirayuki, for the first time in forty years. Realizing that she is not alone and that she has friends who love her, Rukia finally manages to wake up from her coma. Meanwhile, Ishida wakes up from his injuries and has another conversation with his father, who offers to train Ishida one more time. With two weeks left until the invasion, Ichigo, Rukia and Ishida begin intense training.

* * *

Chapter 8: Cigar Blues and Cherry Blossoms

Ichigo and his father were standing a vast lawn area inside the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, the biggest park in Shinjuku. There was enough open grass here for some fairly intense training that wouldn't disturb any passers-by or damage the surroundings. It was Sunday, two days after Rukia's discharge. Rukia herself had caught a train to her brother's inner city penthouse, and Ichigo heard that the two of them travelled by limousine some forty kilometres west to the city of Tachikawa. Apparently Tachikawa had a fairly large and splendid park called Showa Memorial Garden, which was said to be five times as big as the park Ichigo was in now. Still, Ichigo didn't really care. A park was a park, and as long as there was some nice open room, it was perfect for training.

Father and son faced each other. Both were in their Shinigami robes. Ichigo naturally enough had Zangetsu strapped to this back. His father however, had an unusual Shinigami robe. Hanging from his left shoulder was what looked like a Vice Captain badge, but draping from that badge was a ragged and torn captain's cloak that reached down to this knees.

"Dad, I've been wondering…the badge and the cloak you have…are they leftover reminders of your former status?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah. I used to be the Captain of 10th division, around about the time of Urahara's exile," Isshin replied. "I held that post right until thirty years ago, when the Central 46 selected me to be part of the Royal Guard."

"If you were a member of the Royal Guard, then how come you ended up here?"

"Well, there's some parts of the stories I can't tell you yet; you'll find out if Aizen is eventually overthrown. Needless to say I was on an assignment to protect a certain member of the royal family whilst she was in the real world. I screwed up massively and was subsequently exiled. Urahara found me of course, and gave me one of those untraceable gigais. I didn't use it until I met Masaki five years afterwards. You know, your mother was special, not just in the personal sense. She had an extraordinary amount of spirit energy for a human."

"So that's what happened…" Ichigo suddenly had a much better sense of his own personal history. Seeing his father in Shinigami form after he returned from Hueco Mundo had been a shock, but he was reluctant to ask. Now he understand how he came to have such massive reiatsu."

"Enough of the history lesson. I'm going to teach you some things about being a Shinigami that you don't know yet," Isshin said.

"Dad, don't tell me I have to sit down and memorize all of the boring stuff," Ichigo sighed. "That sounds like schoolwork."

"Of course not. I didn't care about your normal school did I? And teaching you like they do in the Soul Society academy would be kind of ridiculous. So instead, I'm going to put you through a training course like Urahara's and Shinji's."

"Please tell me that you aren't going to make me go hollow." Ichigo shuddered when he remembered his training sessions with Urahara and Shinji, both times involving his transformation into a hollow and generally getting beaten to a pulp.

"Oh please, why would I hurt my beloved son?" Isshin laughed. He was punched in the face by a pissed off Ichigo.

"Then why do we always have those ridiculous 'fight' sessions whenever we're at home?" Ichigo asked.

"You didn't know? I was secretly teaching you Hakuda. After you stopped going to karate school after your mother died, I feared you were going to lose the toughness you had gained, so I kept the pressure up. Seems like I did a fine job at that."

"Yeah right." Ichigo sulked. He looked at Karin and Yuzu, who were watching over he and his father's unconscious bodies. They were busy having a picnic. Isshin suddenly unsheathed his blade.

"Alright, let's first compare our swords," he said. Ichigo nodded and unsheathed Zangetsu. As soon as both their swords were out it Ichigo noticed that his sword was many times bigger than his father's simple blade.

"As I thought, you don't know how to seal your Zanpakto yet," Isshin said.

"Why would I? I have more than enough spirit energy to keep Zangetsu in shikai state permanently," Ichigo responded.

"Here's the thing though. For the stuff I'm going to teach you, you'll need to learn how to sheath your blade. Because you're going to learn how to use Kidou."

"Kidou?" Ichigo was confused. "Why do I need that?"

"True, Shinigami with powerful Zanpakto don't necessarily need Kidou, but it's a powerful asset. A weak Shinigami can overpower a stronger opponent with strategic use of Kidou." Ichigo remembered the first time he met Rukia, when he was paralysed by a binding spell.

"At the moment, Kidou is the only aspect of Shinigami combat you're deficient in. You've mastered Zanjutsu and Bankai, learned Hakuda from me, and was taught Shunpo by Yoruichi. In addition, you also have extraordinary hollow powers courtesy of Hirako. But, since Kidou requires adept reiatsu control, the first thing you have to know is how to lower your reiatsu and seal it. Can you do it?"

"Okay, dad, but can you do me a favour first? Show me your shikai at least. I want to know what it does," Ichigo said.

"Alright, this is going to be fun," Isshin smirked as he pointed his blade at Ichigo "Dig, Shukaku!" All of a sudden a massive column of sand erupted out of the blade. Ichigo was engulfed entirely by the sandstorm, and clutched at his throat as a stream of sand entered his mouth. When the sandstorm dissipated, Ichigo was sprawled on the grass, coughing up sand.

"Damn, goat face…what an awesome Zanpakto," he moaned.

"Ha, ha, you stood no chance, Ichigo!" Isshin laughed. Just then though, Ichigo remembered another person who had the same power. _Ganju had the ability to create sand and turn objects into sand as well…_He decided it was nothing but mere coincidence.

"Alright, now that you've given me that nice demonstration, I'll try to seal my sword," Ichigo said as he got up. _Zangetsu?_ He tried conversing with his blade spirit. _Yes Ichigo?_ Zangetsu responded in his mind. _Are you able to seal yourself? I am. Remember the asauchi I gave you during our second meeting?_ Ichigo nodded, recalling how he tried to fight his hollow with nothing more than a simple blade. _That is my sealed form. I can bring it out again if you like. This might feel painful, so bear with me_. Ichigo shuddered as he felt most of his energy suddenly disappear. He glanced at his sword and was stunned that the elegant meat cleaver he had held had been replaced by a plain katana, with a white string tassel at the end of the hilt.

"So this is the sealed state of my Zanpakto…looks way different from the one I first had when I gained my powers," Ichigo said.

"Okay! Since you managed to seal your Zanpakto, I'll tell you want I'm going to do next!" Isshin exclaimed. He grabbed out a big rubber badge with a smiley face on it and stuck it on Ichigo's chest. "This is a seal that will restrict your spirit energy and reiatsu to your current level. You'll have to get used to operating which that much. Once you're able to cast Kidou at that level we'll move upwards and unlock more of your spirit energy so you can cast spells at a much higher level." Ichigo noticed that he was already considerably constrained by the badge. He tried swinging his blade around and discovered that his attacks had no power.

"So, you want me to use simple Kidou spells and as I master them, you'll release more of my spirit energy in order to do more powerful spells?" Ichigo asked. Isshin nodded. "Alright, I'll do it."

"Let's get started then," Isshin said. He pointed his right finger at Ichigo. "Bakudo Number 1, Sai!" At once Ichigo felt his arms and legs get bounded by invisible string, and he toppled to the ground. _Damn, I don't have enough reiatsu to even break through this._

"I'm sure you recognise this spell. Rukia performed it on you the night you met her right? You broke through it easily that time, but since you don't have much spirit energy, it's almost impossible to break through it." Isshin released the spell and Ichigo felt his arms and legs and loosen. He got up and scratched his shins.

"Now, you try doing the spell on me," Isshin instructed. Ichigo took a deep breath and pointed his right index and middle finger at his father.

"Bakudo Number 1, Sai!" Ichigo shouted. Nothing happened. Thinking he had done something wrong, Ichigo did it again. Still there was no effect on Isshin,

"What's the matter boy? I'm not feeling anything!" Isshin laughed.

"Shut up!" Ichigo shouted at him. Karin and Yuzu, who were watching the whole time, were bemused at Ichigo's gestures.

"What's Onii-chan doing?" Yuzu asked, holding Kon's plush doll in her arms.

"He's pointing at goat face and trying to curse him," Karin replied with a deadpan expression. After thirty tries, Ichigo finally succeeded in performing the spell, making Isshin fall over.

"Congratulations! Now I'll increase your spirit energy and teach you the second binding spell. We'll be training at this place for the next two weeks." Ichigo wondered how he was going to get out of it without beating his father to death.

* * *

Rukia and Byakuya sat together in the back seat of a personal limousine chauffeured by one of Byakuya's personal waiters. They were wearing casual, loose fitting clothes, and for once Byakuya didn't have his scarf on. Both of them had Gikongan in their pockets for changing into their Shinigami forms. Rukia's soul candy of course, was Chappy.

"Nii-sama, are we going to be staying in Tachikawa for an unknown period of time?" Rukia asked.

"Yes. We're going to be training here for two weeks at least until the rendezvous, so I've booked two five star hotel suites for the two of us," Byakuya replied. Rukia felt somewhat embarrassed at the lengths her brother went to in order to prepare for this training. A few minutes later the limousine arrived at the entrance of the Showa Memorial Gardens. Byakuya and Rukia stepped out.

"Place the luggage in the two rooms I've booked. Stay at the hotel until I call you to pick us up," Byakuya told his chauffeur, who nodded. The limousine backed away from the side of the road and drove off. Byakuya then motioned to Rukia. "Let's go inside now Rukia."

"Yes, Nii-sama," Rukia nodded and followed her brother into the park. As soon they were inside Rukia was overwhelmed by the richness of the trees, flowers and gardens all around. She didn't have time to inspect anything however, because Byakuya insisted on getting to their training spot as soon as possible. They crossed over a small creek, walked beside the banks of a man-made lake, and recrossed the small creek again before reaching a vast open grass area. There were a lot of people having picnics on the grass, but not enough as to clutter the entire area. At the very northern end of the grass area was a cherry blossom forest. Sadly, most of the cherry blossoms had fallen off.

"This is the place we're going to be training at Rukia," Byakuya said.

"But, there are a lot of people around. Aren't they going to notice something strange happen?" Rukia asked. Byakuya nodded.

"Which is why I've prepared a few things before hand," he said, grabbing out several strange markers. He placed them in a square formation around the centre of the grass area. Once all four markers had been placed a giant orange barrier much like the one Rukia had seen around the Vizards' former hideout suddenly appeared.

"I obtained this barrier from Unohana. Only people with high spiritual power can step inside. Thos without ant spiritual power will see the illusion of the entire area being cordoned for maintenance," Byakuya said.

"I see, so that's how we're able to train without other people getting hurt…but then what about our gigais?" Rukia asked.

"We'll leave them just outside the barriers. We can let them pretend to have a picnic," Byakuya replied. Rukia nodded. Both of them took out their soul candies. At once they were in their Shinigami forms. Byakuya was still wearing his captain's cloak and scarf. The mod souls that now inhabited their gigais were briefed by Byakuya and understood what they were supposed to do.

"Come Rukia, let's start the training," Byakuya motioned. Rukia followed her brother into the barrier, feeling a strange sensation as she stepped through the membrane. As they faced each other, Byakuya pulled out his sword. Rukia did the same.

"I want you to fight me with everything you have, Rukia," Byakuya said.

"Does that mean you're going to go all out too?" Rukia asked.

"No. I am only going to use enough power to match you. This is a training exercise. I wouldn't want to accidentally kill you with my full power. Don't worry about hurting me. Just pretend that I am your enemy."

"Okay, Nii-sama." Rukia raised her sword directly in front of her. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" She twirled her sword in a full clockwise arc, and as she did so, the blade changed colour, and gained a flowing long tassel. Now her Zanpakto was completely white in colour, emitting a shimmering glow. Byakuya readied his sword.

At once Rukia Shunpo-ed behind her brother and shouted "First Dance, Tsukishiro!" A massive circle of ice appeared beneath Byakuya's feet. He dodged out of the way as a column of ice erupted from the circle. Rukia then held her sword with two hands and shouted "Next Dance, Hakuren!" A stream of ice shot out of her Shikai directly at Byakuya. Her brother sidestepped the ice which splattered against the barrier. Rukia followed up with another Shunpo right in front of her brother and shouted "Final Dance, Shirafune!" Her Zanpakto became covered in ice and extended some two feet. Byakuya hastily brought his sword to parry Rukia's blade away. They stood facing each other again.

"That was an impressive display Rukia. You really have become strong," Byakuya complimented her.

"But, I couldn't even touch you at all. Your moves are still amazing, Nii-sama," Rukia said. "You didn't even have to release your sword."

"Don't worry about it. Only another person of Captain Class ability would be able to match me in Shikai or above. Your progress has already been amazing. You definitely are ready to become a Vice Captain."

"But, you held me back from advancement because you didn't want me to get into danger,"

"That was long ago, when I sensed you hadn't completed your training as a Shinigami yet. But ever since the Hueco Mundo incursion I suspected that you were more than capable of fighting in dangerous situations by yourself. It would be foolish of me to hold you back any longer. After all, it was because of the promise I made to Hisana that I've been so worried about you all this time." Byakuya walked over to Rukia and the two oft them sat down on the grass.

"In truth, the real reason I brought you here was to have a chance to spend some time with you, as an older brother," Byakuya said. 'I've been a terrible brother to you, haven't I? I practically ignored you for forty years, and I almost allowed you to be executed. Worst of all, I failed to see the suffering you had endured, and thus your attempted suicide was partially my fault." Rukia remembered how she felt when she stabbed herself in the heart and her subsequent talk with Shirayuki.

"You're not really to blame, Nii-sama. I chose to become like you and close my heart to others. I was a fool for not telling other people about my problems because I didn't want to be a burden. Knowing that I was enlisted in the Gotei 13 years before I was ready to graduate made me think I was weak and useless to everyone. I kept on thinking about how many mistakes I've made in my life so far." Rukia sighed. Byakuya smiled and held her hand.

"We've both been rather foolish, haven't we? For most of my life, I kept on thinking I was superior to everyone because I was the head of the Kuchiki clan, and then when Hisana died, I made a blind vow to uphold the law at all costs. I failed to see the corruption that had become rampant within all levels of Soul Society. It took the actions of Kurosaki Ichigo to bring me to my senses. When I was recovering in hospital, I remembered the happy and outgoing person I once was, willing to flaunt my vanity to anyone I considered inferior to me. I may have been reckless back then, but at least it was better than being a shell of my former self. You fell the same don't you, Rukia?"

"I do, Nii-sama," Rukia replied. "I had forgotten my childhood years with Renji in Inuzuri. Those were the happiest times of my life."

"Then we both must strive to get back to those happy times. I've decided to stop mourning for Hisana, even thought she will always be remembered my heart. It's time for me to move on and find someone else who is willing to be with me. After all, the Kuchiki clan hasn't had an heir since I myself was born."

"What about me, Nii-sama? I'm part of the Kuchiki clan too!"

"I can't always force you to be under my shadow, Rukia. You have your own life to live. Don't you have someone you feel close to?" Rukia blushed. Her brother was definitely referring to Ichigo, who she admittedly had strong feelings for.

"Even though we didn't see each other for four years, I've kept close tabs on you, and I know that you have been living with Kurosaki Ichigo." Rukia was silent. Byakuya looked at her face closely. "I know what you're thinking. You're afraid that I wouldn't allow for such a relationship. Be at ease. I myself fell in love with a person with a Rukongai, so there's no reason for me not to allow you to do the same. Besides, Kurosaki Ichigo is more than just an average human. His has strong Shinigami blood in him."

"Strong Shinigami blood?" Rukia was confused.

"You don't know do you? Kurosaki Ichigo's father was also a Shinigami, a captain in fact. The reason I didn't recognise the connection sooner was because I knew his father under a different surname," Byakuya looked at Rukia and realized she wasn't following what he was saying. "I think we've talked enough for now. Let us resume our training." Both of them got up and grabbed their swords.

"There won't be enough time to cover all aspects of Shinigami combat. I know you've mastered Kidou almost as well as I have. Hakuda is something I'm not very good in myself, so the two fighting styles I'll teach you are Hohou and Zanjutsu. First, starting with Zanjutsu. Judging from your display against me, you have already mastered your Shikai. Now you are ready to begin the process of attaining Bankai."

"I'm ready to attain Bankai?" Rukia asked. "But I've barely talked with my Zanpakto at all, and I don't have a large a Reiatsu as you do."

"I understand. I'm also aware that we don't have access to the same training device that Kurosaki Ichigo used to attain Bankai in three days. So obtaining Bankai will take a lot of time. I will prepare the groundwork for achieving it during the next two weeks." Byakuya placed his sword on the ground and placed his hand over Rukia's heart.

"Stab your sword into the grass and place your hand over my chest. We are going to feel each other's Zanpakto. The first step in acquiring Bankai of course is to establish a close bond with your Zanpakto spirit. I can tell just by feeling your heart that you've been neglecting your Zanpakto, hence the connection is not very strong. Can you feel my Zanpakto, Rukia?"

"I can," Rukia replied. She felt her brother's heart, which was so much warmer than hers. She could sense his Zanpakto, Senbonzakura, and in her mind she saw a beautiful woman wearing a pink kimono. She was sitting under a cherry blossom tree, playing a harp.

"I can hear your Zanpakto playing, Nii-sama. She's singing a song for you. A love song perhaps," Rukia said. "Your Zanpakto spirit is really beautiful. She has elegance, grace, and class, just like you. Compared to her, my Zanpakto spirit isn't much to look at/"

"You're wrong. I can see the inner beauty of your Zanpakto spirit. Shirayuki used to be a fine woman, wasn't she? In time, you can return her to that state. Otherwise, you wouldn't have such a beautiful Shikai." Byakuya took is hands off Rukia's chest and took his sword out of the grass. Rukia did the same,

"So what are going to do now, Nii-sama?" Rukia asked.

"We'll do some light sparring, and then we'll go back to the hotel. The most important task for you to do now is to talk more to your Zanpakto. Your Zanpakto is the manifestation of your own inner consciousness. If you don't trust your sword, then you will not be able to trust other people. In time, you'll establish a bond with your Zanpakto so strong that it can manifest itself outside of your body. Once you achieve that step, you will almost be reading to obtain Bankai."

"I understand Nii-sama. I'll work hard at talking to my Zanpakto," Rukia said. They sparred for another two hours, trading blows with their bare swords and executing binding spells on each other. After two hours, both Byakuya and Rukia were exhausted from non-stop fighting. They returned to their gigais and Byakuya called his chauffeur to pick them from the car park. The limousine arrived some thirty minutes later, and within an hour Rukia and Byakuya arrived at their hotel rooms. As soon as she entered her room Rukia decided to take nice relaxing bath.

As she soaked herself in the hot water, she tried talking to her Zanpakto again, _Shirayuki, are you there? I'm here, Rukia_, her Zanpakto responded. _Will you be able manifest yourself?_ Shirayuki paused at Rukia's question. _Not yet. But, if the bond between us becomes very strong, then we can. But first, you need to perfect the techniques I've given you. _Rukia was surprised at Shirayuki's statement. _What? I thought I had mastered them!_ All of a sudden Rukia found herself inside her inner world. Unlike last time, virtually all the snow had melted away and flowers and trees had started growing again. Shirayuki's face looked much younger, with most of the wrinkles and scars having disappeared.

"Do you really think you've mastered my moves? Full mastery means acquiring Bankai isn't it? Then unless you attain Bankai, your Shikai moves will never be complete. Besides, you aren't able to perform the dances without chanting," Shirayuki said.

"You mean I'm capable of performing the three dances without saying them?" Rukia asked.

"Yes. From now on, we can train together in your mind as you train with your brother outside. Are you ready for it?" Rukia nodded.

* * *

Notes: I apologize for the extreme OOCness of Isshin and Byakuya, but hopefully in the context I put them in, their actions and words won't sound too wierd. With Isshin of course, there are some huge spoilers and speculation involved. From the recent manga chapters, I figured that someone must have been the 10th division captain before Hitsugaya, and there's been theories going around that Isshin was part of the Royal Guard who somehow ended up in the real world. There's also some terms that I need to clarify:

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: This is a park in the middle of Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Showa Memorial Garden: This is another. far larger park, near Tachikawa and Akishima, Tokyo

Isshin's Zan: Naruto Fans might spot the Gaara reference here. Obviously Shukaku has to do with sand. As to why I chose it...well it's a secret regarding Isshin and the Shiba Clan, which will be revealed later on.

Byakuya's barrier: This is a device similar to the one Hachigen of the Vizards used during Ichigo's hollow training. As the latest chapter reveals, Hachi was the Vice Captain of the Kidou Corps, hence Byakuya acquired it through contacts with the remaining Kidou Corps members.

Please keep the reviews up! I really want to know what you guys think about my story!


	9. Chapter 9: Seven O'clock Rendezvous

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: In preparation for the inevitable assault on Soul Society, the forces of the Gotei 13 in hiding have started intensive training to become stronger. After recovering from his battle with Ishida, Ichigo agreed to train under his father, a former Shinigami Captain. Isshin began to instruct his son in the basics of Kidou. Rukia, also recovering from injuries sustained after her suicide attempt, was personally trained by her brother, who helped her become stronger in the art of sword combat. Across the city of Tokyo, others have begun their training sessions...

* * *

Chapter 9: Seven O'clock Rendezvous.

Ichigo and Rukia weren't the only ones undergoing extensive training during the two week lead up to the assault. Ishida had accepted his father's offer to teach him more advanced Quincy Techniques. Now, father and son spent most their spare time in the secret underground training room beneath Ishida Ryuken's private medical practice.

"Uyru, did you know that Quincy fight with more tools than just bows and arrows?" Ryuken asked. "Take Seele Schneider. It's an arrow, but it also doubles as a sabre in melee combat. You're now able to construct them by yourself. I am going to show you the other tools Quincy can use." Ishida's eyes widened when he saw something coming out of his father's shoulder. It was bright blue in colour, and emitted an eerie glow. The thing eventually resolved into the shape of a great eagle with yellow eyes. It was magnificent, its wings a full two metres in span.

"What is this, father?" Ishida asked.

"This is a familiar. It is the physical embodiment of the spirit that dwells within a Quincy's bow. Think of it as the Quincy equivalent of a Shinigami's Zanpakto spirit. This is my familiar, Taishita Washi, or Great Eagle," Ryuken explained. Ishida recalled where he had heard the name before…_that's the name of father's bow!_

"Then that means my familiar's name is Ginrei Kojaku?" His father nodded.

" Correct. Even if our bows change in shape or size, their basic nature will always remain the same."

"Then what does summoning the familiar do?" Ishida asked. Ryuken pushed his glasses up and grinned. In an instant the eagle flew off his shoulder and attacked Ishida. To Ishida's surprise, the eagle was actually solid, and it took a bite out of his shoulder with its beak. Ishida gasped in pain. Then the eagle hovered above Ryuken and started flapping its wings. With each flap hundreds of arrow-like feathers rained down upon Ishida, who only just dodged aside. He quickly summoned his bow and fired an arrow at Ryuken. All of a sudden the great eagle flew in front of Ryuken and blocked the arrow with is wings. Ishida was left stunned.

"You see how powerful it is now? The familiar isn't just a mindless tool, it is actually an intelligent companion and can think by itself. Just like medieval archers often hunted with hawks and falcons, we Quincies can call upon our familiars to aid us in battle." Ryuken mouthed an incantation and the great eagle dissipated. "For the next thirteen days, I will teach you how to summon your familiar, bond with it, and direct it in battle. Remember, the familiar is a part of you. Anything you learn, it learns as well." Ishida was brimming with anticipation.

* * *

In another secret underground chamber, this time in the Kabukicho district of Shinjuku, another group of people were undergoing training. This was the training room beneath Red Dog Shoten. Renji had built it shortly after opening the store, and he had modelled it extensively on the original underground chamber that Urahara had built. Now he, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Soifon and Yoruichi were busy preparing for the coming assault. Renji and Hitsugaya in particular, were sitting on rocks beside a natural underground stream. Sitting by their sides were their Zanpakto spirits. Renji's spirit, Zabimaru, was scratching his rear end and eating a banana. Hitsugaya's spirit, Hyorinmaru, was chomping on some meat.

"Stop scratching your ass, Zabimaru!" Renji scolded. The baboon with a serpent tail looked up at its master with curiosity.

"I can't help it. My ass is itching like hell," Zabimaru replied. Renji blushed, not knowing what to say. Hitsugaya wasn't having a good time with his Zanpakto either. The sound of Hyorinmaru munching through the steak was getting to him.

"Bring me more meat. I'm still hungry," Hyorinmaru complained.

"What, you want more?" Hitsugaya was pissed off now. "You've gone through an entire weeks' worth of meat! We don't have any left!" The ice dragon just growled and blew a frosty breath from its mouth. Both Renji and Hitsugaya would have preferred to send their spirits back, but they needed them out in order to improve their Bankais. Both knew they could unlock a new form of their Bankais, but achieving it would require a lot of patience and cooperation with their Zanpaktos. Of course, Renji and Hitsugaya were having better luck than Matsumoto, who was running around in circles screaming.

"Argh darn it! My Zanpakto's useless! She wants me to feed her fish and groom her!" Matsumoto yelled. "What a lazy bitch! She doesn't like doing any work at all."

"Yelling at it isn't going to help, Rangiku," Renji said.

"Oh yeah? You try living with a self-obsessed, lethargic woman in your head and see how it feels!" Renji was barely able to contain his laughter; he found it funny how Matsumoto criticised the exact same traits which so characterised her.

He glanced elsewhere and noticed Soifon and Yoruichi were training together. They were inseparable, like two sisters. Both were clad in skimpy costumes which barely covered their bodies at all, a side effect of having Shunko, or flash cry, activated. Renji didn't exactly know what it did, but from what he knew Shunko ripped apart a user's clothing. To him, it looked like they were engaging in some disturbing activities…he didn't want to think about it any more.

"Toshiro, should we start our real training?" Renji asked.

"I told you to call me captain." Hitsugaya corrected him. "…alright we'll start." Hitsugaya looked at Matsumoto. "Are you ready yet?"

"Of course not! I'm still trying to talk to Haineko!" Matsumoto growled.

"Fine then, be by yourself. Renji and I are going," Hitsugaya said. The white haired captain of 10th Division moved off the rock and motioned to the red-haired Vice Captain of 6th division, with the spirits of their Zanpaktos beside them.

* * *

In another corner of Tokyo, inside the city's maximum security prison, another Shinigami was busy preparing for the invasion. Zaraki Kenpachi had voluntarily let himself be imprisoned, but to him it was a good thing. He knew that randomly killing live humans, even if they were criminals, was no the right thing for Shinigami to do. He loved fighting, but killing wasn't something that interested him, because if he killed his opponents, then there wouldn't be any fighting left. Besides, being in a prison cell alone gave him a good opportunity to do something he never once considered doing-talking to his Zanpakto. He had once made a vow to find out the name of his sword, but soon forgot about it, as the opponents he had encountered so far were nowhere near strong enough to push him to the brink. With Yachiru, Ikkaku and Yumichika not being present, he could speak to his sword without acting like a fool.

Kenpachi had used a soul glove to turn into his Shinigami form, leaving his gigai to sleeping on the bed. He grasped his sword, a five foot long, two-handed katana which had jagged edges, in his right hand. He then attempted to do something he had only tried once before, with no success.

"Hey, you, it's me, your master," Kenpachi said. _Wait, that didn't sound right_. "Alright, it's me, Kenpachi. I know you and I have ever spoken to each other. I also know that you're angry at me for not speaking at you. I do recall listening to your screams during my battle with Ichigo. I should have taken heed to what he said. It's true that I only have regard for my own strength, and it's also true that I've regarded you as a mere tool all of this time. But now…I realize that you've been my closest companion. I don't remember a time when I didn't have you by my side. I suspect you were there beside me the day I was born, even if I have no recollection for it. I am ashamed to have neglected you, you whose name should have been more important than Yachiru's." He stopped talking, and waited for a response. There was nothing, not even a whisper. Kenpachi gave up in frustration. But then, in the loneliness of this cell, what else was he supposed to do?

* * *

Kenpachi's subordinates, Madarame Ikakku and Ayasegawa Yumichika, were having a much better time than him. Since his marriage to Asano Mizuho, Ikkaku had been accepted as a member of the Keigo family, with Keigo's parents absolutely doting him as their new son, much to Keigo's dismay. Having come back from a shortened honeymoon, Ikkaku decided to use the Asano family's extensive backyard and basketball court as a training ground, accompanied by Yumichika.

"Hey, let's have another sparring session Yumichika!" Ikkaku shouted.

"You're on Ikakku!" Yumichika shouted back. They were both in their gigais, though clad in red and white yukatas, and they each had wooden swords in their hands. Just as they started to trade blows, Mizuho burst out from the back door.

"Darling! I bought some sake for you!" she called out.

"Thanks a lot!" Ikakku called. The momentary distraction allowed Yumichika to inflict a powerful blow to Ikakku's right shoulder. Ikakku flinched.

"That was a cheap shot Yumichika! I wasn't paying attention!" he shouted.

"So what, all's fair in love and war!" Yumichika retorted in a poncy accent. Ikkaku seized his chance to land a retaliatory blow to Yumichika's nose, which caused blood to spurt out.

"My nose, my nose! Look what you've done to my nose! Oh you're going to pay for it for it now!" Yumichika renewed his attack and he and Ikakku resumed their intense wooden sword fight. Amidst all of this, Keigo and Mizuiro looked on with a mixture of confusion and indifference.

"You know what Mizuiro, ever since Baldy stepped into our lives, mum and dad have constantly ignored me. It's like I'm not even their son anymore," Keigo whinged.

"Well, it's not surprising. They probably consider you a failure of a son anyway," Mizuiro laughed.

"What? How dare you say that of me Mizuiro? I thought you were my friend!" Keigo tried strangling Mizuiro in frustration.

"Eh, um, that doesn't meant I have to be your number one supporter." Hearing Mizuiro's words, Keigo started sulking by himself.

* * *

For two weeks, the Shinigami living undercover in Tokyo city trained diligently to improve themselves in preparation of the invasion. On the night of the first day of November, they started gathering at Tokyo University for the rendezvous. Ichigo and Rukia, having returned from staying with their relatives in the morning, ate a quick dinner and took turns to shower and change. Once Ichigo had finished showering and changing, he and Rukia took out their soul candies.

"Are you ready Rukia?" Ichigo asked. Rukia nodded. They both gulped down their soul candies at the same time and turned into their Shinigami forms. Ichigo's living body was taken over by Kon, and Rukia's gigai was now inhabited by Chappy.

"Man, it is great to be free again. You've kept me in pill form for too long Ichigo," Kon complained.

"Whatever. We're going to be leaving now. Stay put here and pretend to act like me from now on until we're finished with Soul Society," Ichigo said.

"But what about Nee-san? I can't stand not being with her!!" Kon protested.

"You have Chappy to play with," Rukia smirked, pointing to her gigai who now had a weird grin on her face. Kon's face turned a dark purple.

"Oh god no, not her! I'm going to get slaughtered!" he screamed.

"You'll be fine. As long as you don't get yourself killed, I don't care what you do to my body. I don't know when we'll be coming back, so just be patient," Ichigo said.

"Let's go Ichigo," Rukia said. They stepped out of the apartment and closed the door, with the crying face of Kon in Ichigo's body the last thing they saw before the door was shut. Then they exited the apartment block and Shunpo-ed across Tokyo.

About twenty minutes later Ichigo and Rukia landed outside the front gates of Tokyo University, or To-oh. In the eerie glow of the early evening, Ichigo spotted several figures already waiting at the gates. As they walked closer the figures resolved in definite people, Renji, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Yoruichi, and Soifon.

"Ichigo! Rukia! You've both come," Renji said.

"Has anyone else arrived yet?" Rukia asked.

"Captain Kurotsuchi and his Vice Captain are waiting for us in their underground laboratory, but the other Captains and Vice Captains haven't arrived yet."

"I see." Ichigo and Rukia joined the others in waiting outside the university. Gradually, more familiar faces arrived. The first one to come was, Byakuya Shunpo-ing gracefully onto the pavement beside the gate, much to Rukia's delight.

"Nii-sama!" Rukia exclaimed. Byakuya winked in her direction before he stood beside Renji. Shortly afterwards Captain Unohana and her Vice Captain Kotetsu Isane both rode on Unohana's giant manta ray Minazuki, which slowly descended to the ground, latching at the bitumen with its claws. It then reverted to its sword form once its two passengers had got off. A few minutes later Ichigo saw Ikakku and Yumichika barrel along the street, as if they were being chased by something.

"Whoa, Ikakku, Yumichika, what's the rush?" Renji asked. Ikakku was gasping for breath and literally collapsed onto Renji.

"It's that damned woman…she wouldn't let me leave the house. I tried using my gigai to fool her, but that blasted bitch can see spirits!" Ikakku exclaimed. At this point Ichigo, Renji both laughed. Ichigo laughed, because he knew what a fiery temper Keigo's sister had. Renji laughed because he delighted at seeing Ikakku bear the brunt of a joke.

"Ah well Ikakku, we feel sorry for you," Yumchika patted him on the back. Ikakku saw struck mental daggers at Yumichika's back.

Another few minutes later, another familiar face showed up, this time in an unexpected way. A new model electric Toyota rolled up on the pavement beside the gates, and out stepped Ishida, wearing a traditional Quincy uniform.

"Ishida! What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ishida answered. "I'm here to participate in the invasion."

"Oh, had a change of heart I see. I didn't know you were so into Shinigami stuff." Ishida smiled at Ichigo's jab. The other Shinigami regarded Ishida with suspicion, both because of the incident Ishida had caused three weeks ago, and due to the general mistrust of Quincies that was prevalent in Soul Society.

"Is everyone fully present?" Unohana asked. "Captain Kurotsuchi is going to lose his patience if we don't go inside quickly." All of them were about to answer yes when all of a sudden there was a massive explosion some distance away. They all turned to look. It was coming from the maximum city prison. Ichigo had a fairly good idea what caused it.

Sure enough the source of the explosion came charging towards the university a few minutes later. Zaraki Kenpachi was laughing madly, Yachiru sitting on his back, as an army of police cars scooted about everywhere.

"Oh great, he broke out of prison again," Ichigo sighed.

"Yep. There's no stopping our captain from wanting to get to a fight," Ikakku said.

"I just hope Keigo and Mizuiro are not going to be blamed for this mix-up."

"Hey Ichigo," Kenpachi said with a devilish grin as he finally walked up to the gates, wearing his ragged captain's cloak. "Let's get this invasion stuff over with quickly. I'm desperately waiting for another spar with you." Ichigo's face turned dark red, and all he do was nod.

"Alright, let's get moving," Captain Unohana and Yoruichi said together. The other Shinigami and Ishida followed them into gates of Tokyo University and across the campus. None of them had been inside the University before, so finding the information technology department, where Kurotsuchi Mayuri and his Vice Captain Nemu were working at was a tedious chore. After back tracking across the campus several times, Unohana and Yoruichi finally had the sense to consult the campus map. They finally found the information technology department and headed down to the basement level, where Captain Kurotsuchi and Vice Captain Nemu were waiting.

"Finally! What took you so long?" Mayuri asked. "This gate eats up so much power that I've had to turn off everything else, even the lights!" The Captain of 12th division still looked creepy as ever, with his clown mask and devil horns. Ichigo's attention was directed towards the large gate filled an entire corner of the underground laboratory. It looked similar to the gate Urahara had made when Ichigo first entered Soul Society.

"Listen carefully everyone. This is the Senkaimon we shall use to transport the volunteers for the invasion through to the Soul Society," Mayuri explained. "Since the hell moth channels have been blocked, the only way through is by using the Dangai. As this is Senkaimon is a direct copy of Urahara Kisuke's original model, it will open only for a very limited period. It can only handle a maximum capacity of ten people, so the invasion force is limited to that number." After Mayuri was finished with the explanation Captain Unohana and Yoruichi stood in front of everyone.

"Alright, who's volunteering?" Yoruichi asked. "Remember, the maximum number of volunteers is ten." Ichigo was the first one to put up his hand.

"I volunteer to lead this expedition," he said. "I've gone through the same experience before, so I know what to expect."

"Indeed, we captains expected you to lead this expedition, Ichigo," Yoruichi smiled. "As I can't come with you, you're going to have to direct your companions on your own." Ishida was the second person to put up his hand.

"I know all of you Shinigami are suspicious of me since I'm a Quincy, but I was an original member of the first Ryoka Invasion," Ishida said. "I can help Kurosaki in case he finds himself in complicated situations.

"Okay, that's two of you. Who else is going to accompany them?" Yoruichi asked. Rukia and Renji were next to put up their hands. Both of them looked at Captain Kuchiki, who nodded in acceptance.

"I, 6th Division Vice Captain Abarai Renji, and Kuchiki Rukia of 13th Division, both volunteer to accompany Kurosaki Ichigo," Renji said. "Both of us have fought alongside him before, and know how to work with him." Yoruichi and the other captains nodded. They had expected Renji and Rukia to volunteer, since they had been part of Ichigo's Hueco Mundo incursion. The other captains looked surprised however when Kenpachi and his 11th division subordinates all put their hands.

"We might as well come along," Kenpachi said. "As the combat division, we should always be at the front lines. Besides, it's not like we'll be of any help staying here." After some thought, the other captains and Yoruichi all nodded in acceptance. Yoruichi made a final call for people, but nobody else was willing to go.

"Very well then, the eight of you will form the expeditionary force to retake Soul Society," Captain Unohana said. "The most important task for you to accomplish is to break into Seireitei and free the other members of the Gotei 13 who are being held captive. Once they are free, a general uprising can begin which will hopefully overthrow the forces in charge of Soul Society. Once that task is accomplished, you'll need to open the official Senkaimons to re-establish contact over here. One other thing to remember: do not underestimate the forces of the enemy. A number of Royal Guards have been sent down by Aizen Sousuke. Their strength is as great as any one of us or perhaps greater. Aizen may also send reinforcements from the King's Realm down to intercept you, so try to be as secretive as possible." Ichigo, Ishida and the other members of the team nodded. It was going to be another invasion of Soul Society, this time sanctioned by the surviving forces of the Gotei 13.

Mayuri switched the Senkaimon to full power, causing the gate to glow a brilliant white. On Ichigo's signal, the eight of them all entered the gate. Once they were through, the Senkaimon closed, and Mayuri shut down the power.

"Let's return to our hiding places and prepare our defences," Byakuya said. "Aizen may send his forces to raze the city in retaliation." The other captains all agreed. All of them apart from Mayuri and Nemu left the underground laboratory and headed back. On all of their minds was the safety and success of the mission they had just launched.

* * *

Notes: The retaking of Soul Society begins next chapter! This new arc will feature non-stop action and epic fights featuring every surviving character. There are some concepts that I want to point out:

Familiars: I figured this was a logical extension of a Quincy's abilities. Since Quincies are archers, it would be good if they had hunting companions like real medieval archers used to have. I also thought about Ishida and Ryuken's bow, and came up with a idea that their bows contain spirits inside them just like Shinigami Zanpaktos do. Ishida's bow name, Ginrei Kojaku, gave me the perfect image for his familiar, and likewise I imagined Ryuken's familiar to be am eagle, hence the name of his bow, Taishita Washi, or Great Eagle.

Hitsugaya and Renji's spirits: Both Hyorinmaru and Zabimaru have been shown in materialised form, so as part of their training, it would make sense for Hitsugaya and Renji to materialize their Zanpaktos to train with them.

Keep the reviews coming! This fanstory is about to get even more exciting, so it'd be a shame to not read it!


	10. Chapter 10: Intruderz

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida, Renji, and the other members of the Gotei 13 Shinigami hiding in Tokyo, undergo extensive training during the two weeks leading up to the invasion to retake Soul Society. Ichigo trains with his father, Rukia trains with her brother Byakuya, Ishida trains with his father. Renji, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Yoruichi and Soifon, all train underneath Renji's shop. Kenpachi tries to talk to his Zankpato whilst in solitary confinement, and Ikakku and Yumichika train at Keigo's house. The two weeks quickly go by, and all of the shinigami meet up outside Tokyo University, where Captain Kurotsuchi has installed a Senkaimon to the Soul Society. Ichigo volunteers to lead an eight-man team comprised of Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Kenpachi, Yachiru, Ikakku and Yumichika, through the Senkaimon to assault Soul Society. The rest of the Gotei 13 stay behind, anticipating a retaliatory strike by Aizen...

* * *

Chapter 10: Intruderz

Sirens rang throughout Soul Society. The sudden appearance of a gate in the middle of Rukongai was quickly noticed by the people in command of Seireitei. In the former 1st division Headquarters, the seven Royal Guards placed in charge of Soul Society by Aizen met to discuss the situation. Each of these Royal Guards was an incarnation of a Shinto god, representative of the Pantheon that protected the Divine King. Being former captains, their powers were formidable. Chimatano, a fat lecherous man who was in charge of security, scratched his balls. Futen, an old man with a white beard, blew hard to keep himself cool. Gama, a toad like man who loved to drink, tried to open a scroll he was holding in his hand without anyone looking. Hachiman, a burly robust man who loved to fight, fondled his giant axe. Uzume, a beautiful black haired woman with a massively bare cleavage, couldn't stop herself from twirling around. Hamori, a skinny looking man with black eyes, snored on his rake. Ajisuke, a loud mouthed kid who couldn't stop speaking, banged on a drum around his waist.

All seven of them were looking at reports that had come in from the Tengu scouts on patrol around the Seirei walls.

"What is the situation, Futen?" Hachiman asked in a rough voice. The commander of the Tengu stroked his beard.

"The scouts detect eight large spiritual pressures coming from the Dangai. I believe they are members of the former Gotei 13," Futen said.

"Shall we inform Aizen-Sama?" Uzume asked. The seven Royal Guards looked at each other, before agreeing to send a report. At once a signal from the central communication station of Seireitei was sent to an unknown destination.

* * *

At the same time, in a completely separate dimension, Ichimaru Gin received a message on his call register. The right hand of Aizen, now living a live of comfort in the King's realm, pressed a buzzer to receive the message.

"Yes, who is it?" he asked.

"There's a disturbance in the Soul Society," a voice that Gin recognised as Chimatano spoke. "A gate has been opened in West Rukongai. We believe the source is coming from the real world, and have detected eight spiritual bodies coming through the Dangai."

"I see. Tell the other Royal Guard to deal with the intruders as swift and brutal as possible. I shall report this matter to Aizen-sama." Ichimaru hung up. He got up from the couch he was sitting on and walked along majestic imperial corridors until he reached the throne room. This was an enormous space, with a ceiling many hundreds of metres high. At the other end of this 'room', hundreds of metres away, was a gigantic throne, perched upon a pedestal a thousand steps high. Sitting on the golden throne and wearing a golden crown on his head was the new King of All Dimensions, Aizen Sousuke.

"Yes, Gin?" Aizen asked.

"Aizen-sama, some of the Gotei 13 members we forgot to eliminate are coming through the Dangai into Soul Society," Ichimaru replied.

"Oh those rats," Aizen snickered. "How many of them are there?"

"About eight. One of them is definitely Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Is that so? Well, I expect the Royal Guard there will deal with them promptly. However, there is something I want you to do."

"What is it, Aizen-sama?"

"Tell Raiden and Marisha to go to Hueco Mundo and contact the Horsemen. I want them to lead a strike upon the Gotei 13 members who are still hiding in the real world."

"Ah, I see, crushing two birds with one stone. How thoughtful of you, Aizen-sama," Gin laughed and then bowed his head. "I shall go tell them." He exited the throne room. Aizen was left to sit on his throne room, thinking how his enemies would be utterly crushed at last and final victory would be his.

"Aizen-dono?" a female voice asked from behind the throne. Aizen turned around and smiled. It was Inoue Orihime. No longer the sweet and innocent girl who Aizen had abducted and placed as hostage in Hueco Mundo, she had transformed into a vengeful goddess, and began calling herself Amaterasu. She was wearing an elaborate pink robe with a collar that tapered into a disk that resembled the sun. A diamond crown with a ruby set in it adorned her forehead.

"My Queen, what can I do for you?" Aizen asked.

"Has something gone on? Ichimaru-san would never speak directly to you unless it was something urgent," Orihime said. Aizen closed his eyes for a moment and smiled.

"Indeed, something has happened," he walked right up to Orihime and kissed her. "Your former friends have broken into Soul Society again. The one who betrayed you, Kurosaki Ichigo, is among them." Orihime's eyes flashed evilly.

"Kurosaki-kun…I hate him. He should be killed," she said without hesitation. "What are you going to do about him, Aizen-dono?"

"I suppose I could have something special planned for him," Aizen clicked his fingers and someone who had also been hiding in the shadows stepped out. It was Yasutora Sado. He was dressed in a black jumper and black pants.

"What do you want me to do, Aizen-sama?" the one who was called Chad asked.

"Your former friend Kurosaki Ichigo has broken into the Soul Society. I am sending you down to kill him. Do you understand your orders, Yasutora Sado?"

"Yes, Aizen-sama. I will go down there and kill Ichigo." Chad nodded and was directed by Aizen to stand inside the white pentagram.

* * *

Ichigo panted heavily. The Dangai passage seemed to go on forever. Rukia, Renji and Ishida were running alongside him. Zaraki Kenpachi, Yachiru, Ikakku and Yumichika were right behind them.

"Darn, how long is this Dangai? It's way longer than the first time I went through!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"It's probably because the Senkaimon we used was much weaker than the one that Urahara owned, hence it takes more time to cross the Dangai," Rukia explained.

"Whatever-hey I can see the opening!" Ichigo saw a bright shining light ahead. He broke through that light and was briefly blinded by a flash. When he opened his eyes again, he was standing in the middle of what appeared to be a Rukongai district. Only this district looked worse than any of the third world slums he had seen on television. All of the houses were torn down or shattered. Garbage, dead bodies and faeces littered the streets. Rats scurried about like scavengers. The stench was overwhelming. Everywhere they looked there was nothing but devastation.

"I…don't believe this," Renji gasped. "This isn't Nishi Rukongai!"

"Are you serious? Is this meant to be Nishi Rukongai?" Ichigo asked.

"Looks more like Inuzuri or my home district of Zaraki to me," Kenpachi smirked. Rukia got out her soul pager and clicked on it.

"No, this is definitely Nishi Rukongai. Captain Kurotsuchi calibrated the Senkaimon to open at exactly the same destination that Urahara's gate opened at," Rukia said.

"Something must have happened here, I guess," Ishida looked around. "I don't sense any spiritual pressures around."

"The citizens must have all been herded up into camps," Renji gnashed his teeth. "Darn that Aizen!"

"Well, there's no point staying in one spot," Ichigo said. "Let's get moving." He started running in the direction of Seireitei, and the others followed him.

"The Seireimon gate is bound to be closed," Rukia told him up close.

"I know. We've got to find Shiba Kukaku and break in through using the Flower Crane Cannon."

"Knowing her, I doubt we'll be able where she lives that easily," Ishida pointed out.

"Heh, I wish Yoruichi had come with us," Ichigo smiled. "Oh well, we'll know where she lives as soon as we see it."

Just as Ichigo's group neared the Seireimon gate, a figure suddenly fell from the sky. Ichigo stopped just as the ground in front of him exploded. He covered his eyes from the blast.

"What is that?" Rukia asked. She too was covering her eyes. Ichigo squinted. As the dust began to clear he could make out the shape of a person. From looking at the person's robust shoulders Ichigo immediately knew who it was.

"Chad!" Ichigo exclaimed. The dust finally cleared to reveal the figure of Yasutora Sado, clad entirely in black, and with his right armoured arm activated. As Ichigo looked closer, he noticed there was something strange about Sado. His eyes were different; they cast a murderous glare. Before Ichigo or the others could say anything else, Sado fired a blast from his arm at them. Ichigo barely managed to raise his blade and deflect the blast in time.

"What the hell? How come you're shooting at us Sado?" Ichigo asked. He looked at Sado again, whose face was emotionless.

"Ichigo, I am here to kill you," Sado said bluntly." Ichigo gasped.

"Something's wrong with Sado," Ishida pointed. "His eyes are different than before. He must have been brainwashed by Aizen!"

"No wonder Chad wants to kill me," Ichigo sighed.

"Dealing with him is going to be troublesome…Chad was once our nakama. We can't just kill him," Rukia said.

"Yeah, but knocking him out won't be easy," Renji added.

"I know what to do now," Ichigo said. "Ishida, Rukia, Renji, the rest of you can go and find Kukaku. I'll stay and deal with Chad." After some thought, all of them agreed.

"Alright, we'll go," Rukia nodded. "Take of yourself Ichigo." She waved him goodbye as she and the others headed eastwards. _You too Rukia_, Ichigo thought to himself as he grasped Zangetsu in both hands. Chad was going to be a difficult opponent.

* * *

"Tell me something, Chad. Why do you want to kill me? Were you sent here by Aizen?" Ichigo asked. "Since when did you decide to join up with a guy like…?" Before Ichigo could finish his sentence, Sado fired another blast that just missed his face.

"You want to know the answer? I didn't decide join with Aizen-I was forced to, by you!" Sado exclaimed. "You abandoned me, Ichigo. You told me long ago, that you would fight for me whenever I was in danger, as I would fight for you. Why did you betray that promise?" Chad charged at Ichigo, firing another blast at him. Ichigo leaped a hundred feet backwards to avoid the blast.

"Who says I betrayed that promise? I would have come after you if I knew how!" Ichigo shouted. "How was I supposed to break into the King's realm to rescue you?"

As he walked towards Ichigo, Sado's arms began to change. The right arm expanded into shield with a gaping red mouth. At the same time, his left arm became all whitish and grew a spike on top.

"The time for words is over. My orders are to kill you, and I shall fulfil that objective," Sado said. He lifted up his right arm and shouted, "El Directo!" This time a far more powerful blast shot out, rushing towards Ichigo at supersonic speed. Ichigo made a desperate leap into the air. As he did so, he failed to see Sado had also leaped into the air. Sado punched Ichigo hard in the stomach with his left arm, sending him flying through the air. He crashed into several buildings nearly half a mile away. Ichigo struggled to climb out of the rubble, coughing up blood as he did so. He now had a nasty bruise on his forehead. He saw Sado walking towards him. The sight of his arms confused Ichigo; this was a power-up he hadn't seen before.

"You don't know do you, what my arms can do, Ichigo?" Sado asked. He held up his right arm. "Brazo Derecho de Gigante, the right arm of the giant. This arm is my defensive arm, and this…" Sado held up his left arm. "…is my offensive arm. Brazo Izquierdo del Diablo, the left arm of the devil." Ichigo was stunned. The power and spiritual pressure that Sado was emitting was unreal. He stood no chance with his Shikai.

"I guess I have no choice," he sighed, grasping Zangetsu with both hands. "Bankai!" A black aura engulfed Ichigo, surrounding him with condensed reiatsu. When the aura cleared, he was in his Bankai form. Ichigo wasted no time in attacking. With one single step, he reappeared directly in front of Chad and fired a point blank Getsuga Tensho. Sado was sent crashing through multiple buildings. He jumped into the air, with a large slash across his chest that was now bleeding heavily. Ichigo seized the moment to swing Tensa Zangetsu around in circles. This was the first time he had activated Chouseki Hadou, and he prayed for it to work. Within twenty seconds, the blade had built up maximum energy. Ichigo Shunpo-ed directly in front of Sado again and pressed his blade against Sado's chest. Before Sado could even react, Ichigo discharged all of the energy he had built in the blade in one powerful beam. Sado was sent tumbling towards the ground, creating a huge crater upon impact. Ichigo hovered tentatively over the crater, waiting for the smoke to clear. _I should have damaged him a lot already. His power doesn't compare to my Bankai right now._

When the smoke did clear however, Ichigo's eyes widened. Sado was now completely different. A white hollow-like armour covered his entire torso, and he was now wearing a white skull helmet, much like the hollow mask Ulquiorra had worn. As Sado stood up, he let out a truly uncharacteristic laugh.

"You are strong Ichigo. I'm amazed that even my two arms couldn't match your power," Sado said. "But, during the time I spent with Aizen-sama, I discovered a new ability. I unlocked the inner ferociousness I had kept hidden ever since my abuelo told me never to hurt other people. That was I kept on getting beat up, since I didn't fight back. Then you came and told me to cover your back as you covered mine…but that only lead to misery and pain. Aizen told me the truth; that sort of philosophy is naïve. We're all foolish beings aren't we? It's better to think of protecting yourself before you can protect other people. The hollow that was inside me thinks the same way, which is why I let him take over my back. Because of this, I've gained a new ability, Armadura del Dioces; armour of the gods." Before Ichigo could even say something Sado flew at him at astounding speed. Ichigo barely blocked a blow from his left arm with his sword.

_His speed has increased greatly, and so has his power. I can barely hold him, _Ichigo thought, as he pressed against Sado's left hand. Sado smirked.

"La Muerte," he spoke. Ichigo felt an instantaneous blast smash right through his waist. He was sent flying through the air, and crashed into the ground at incredibly velocity. He jumped out of the ground soon after, but was kicked in the face by Sado, sending him skidding along the ground for nearly half a mile before he managed to stand up again. He coughed up a huge amount of blood; his stomach and intestines had nearly been pulverized.

_Shit, I'm screwed if I get hit by one of those again! What power! Looks like I have to go Vizard to match him…_As he saw Sado charging towards him at breakneck speed, Ichigo quickly pulled out his mask. He was engulfed by another huge black aura, and Sado was momentarily taken aback by the sudden jump in reiatsu. Ichigo seized upon his hesitation. Before the black aura faded away, he Shunpo-ed towards Sado, landing another point blank Getsuga Tensho upon his chest. To Ichigo's surprise there wasn't even a scratch, and that GT was way more powerful than the first one he inflicted. He narrowly dodged another La Muerte strike from Sado and tried to activate Chouseki Hadou once again. Drawing upon his hollow powers, Ichigo filled Zangetsu up to maximum power in less than ten seconds, and Shunpo-ed behind Sado, unleashing a point blank beam directly at Sado's neck. The beam didn't even penetrate. Instead, Ichigo was knocked backwards a hundred metres.

_What the hell? His armour is even tougher than an arrancar's hierro! I can't even scratch it with a full blast Chouseki Hadou. This is bad. What shall I do?_ Ichigo sweated as he saw Sado walking towards him slowly.

"**Why don't I help you, king?" **Ichigo's hollow suddenly spoke to him in his mind.

"You know something that will work? What is it?" Ichigo asked.

"**Gran Rey Cero."** Ichigo was stunned.

"How do you know that? Did you pick it up as you watched me fight Grimmjow?"

"**Of course! The memory of his attack should have been embedded in your head!"**

"Whatever, just show me how to do it. You can take control of my body if you like. But don't go overboard. We need to knock Sado out, not obliterate him."

"**Okay, just leave it to me!**" Ichigo's hollow laughed. Ichigo felt a weird sensation as a sudden consciousness took control of half his mind. It was like he had two different sets of eyes. As Sado was about to charge him, Ichigo shouted, "Bakudo number 61, Rikujokorou!" Six bright orange triangular rods appeared from nowhere and attached themselves to Sado's waist. The big man was immobilized, and struggle to break free.

"**This is it! I'll show you how to cast it!**" Ichigo's hollow exclaimed. Ichigo subconsciously placed Zangetsu on the ground with his left hand, then cut his right index finger on the blade. He spread out his right hand and the blood that dripped from his middle finger changed into pure spirit energy, charging into a massive light blue sphere. At this moment, Sado succeeded in breaking out of the Bakudo and resumed his charge.

"**Say it with me, king!"** Ichigo's hollow shouted. The words flashed in front of Ichigo's eyes.

"Gran Rey Cero!" Ichigo yelled, and fired a truly massive cero directly at Sado. Sado's eyes widened in shock. The immense light blue beam smashed into him, and he barely blocked it with his right arm. Ichigo maintained the pressure, continuously pouring his spirit energy into the beam, Sado was constantly getting pushed back. Sensing he was loosing it, Ichigo seized upon the opportunity to mount one final effort, increased the cero's power one more time. This was enough to completely consume Sado, who let out an inhuman scream. The blast thundered right across Rukongai and exploded in a huge shower of sparks.

Ichigo panted heavily. The attack had taken nearly all of his remaining spirit pressure. His mask shattered and his blade reverted to its Shikai state. When the dust cleared he saw that the cero had carved a gaping trench through miles and miles of Rukongai. Lying in the middle of the trench was the figure of Sado, now unconscious. His armour had been completely blown off, and his arms had gone back to normal. His clothes and skin were singed and smoke rose from his body. Ichigo bent down and checked his pulse; Sado's heart was still beating. He lifted his former friend over his shoulder and walked out of the trench. Just then he realized he had no idea where he was. His battle with Sado had taken them far away from the Seireimon. He wandered through the abandoned houses, searching for any clues of his location.

* * *

As he walked out of a small forest, he beheld an amazing sight. In front of him was a gargantuan crater. It was so vast that Ichigo couldn't even see the other side, but he estimated its diameter to be more than five miles wide. Inside the crater was nothing but blackness. It wasn't necessarily a hole but rather a void of darkness, and it was sucking in pieces of rubble. Ichigo had never seen a crater like this before, but then again, he wasn't familiar with the physical geography of Soul Society. He tried going close to the crater to inspect it, but he was suddenly stopped by a loud voice.

"HEY, WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'R GOING?" someone shouted from behind him. Ichigo turned around, and gasped. It was Ganju. He was wearing the same black vest and white pants he had worn when Ichigo first met him.

"Ganju!" Ichigo exclaimed. "It's great to see you again!"

"Long time no see, Ichigo," Ganju smirked. 'So, what are you doing back in the Soul Society? Going on another heroic rescue trip again?"

"Yeah, sort of."

"Then you can rule me out of it. I've already had the shit beat out of my by Nee-san twice because I failed to keep up with you guys." Ichigo laughed.

"Ah well, at least you tried. So, is this where you currently live?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah, my abode is in a cave a short distance away," Ganju replied.

"I see. Then tell me something else. What is that huge crater?" Ichigo pointed to the crater right in front of them.

"You don't know what that thing is? What the hell's happened to your memory? That's the remnants of Karakura Town!" Ganju shouted. Ichigo froze. He remembered the giant explosion four years ago, the expanding white dome that covered half the sky, followed by the mushroom cloud. He had fled to the real world before he could witness the aftermath of the explosion; and he was grateful he did. If had seen this crater four years ago, his heart would have shattered.

"So that's where Karakura town once stood," Ichigo said. He tried walking close to the rim of the crater, but was stopped by another voice, followed by a stomp. He turned around again, and saw the towering figure of Jidanbo, the former gate guardian of West Rukongai, still wearing his gatekeeper uniform with two axes strapped to his belt.

"Don't go any closer to the crater," Jidanbo said. The giant picked up a large boulder from the ground and threw into the crater. Before the rock could even descend below the crater rim, it disintegrated into nothing. Ichigo flinched back.

"Yikes! I would have been annihilated if I had fallen in. So the fallout from the explosion is still incredibly strong, right?"

"Yeah, this is the reason why districts 69 to 80 have been completely deserted and emptied of people. Those who hung around the vicinity of the crater developed a mysterious disease never before seen in Soul Society, and died soon after. The virus spread everywhere and everyone fled to neighbouring districts. Those who were infected were left to die painful deaths," Ganju explained.

"If that's the case, then why are you here? Aren't you danger of being infected?"

"Nah, I managed to find out the right distance from the crater where the spiritual aftermath doesn't affect you. However, if we stay here any longer we might be in danger of catching the virus. Let's go back to my abode."

"Thanks for the offer, but I can't afford to tarry around here. I have to go back to my friends soon. They've likely broken into the Seireitei by now. There is something I want you to do though," Ichigo placed Sado, who had been on his back the whole time, on the ground.

"Isn't that the big guy who came with you the first time?" Ganju. "Why is he knocked out? Did he and you have a fight?"

"It's a long story. I'll explain it you once I get a chance to. For now, take him back to your abode and let him recover. Once Seireitei has been retaken, I'll come back to get him."

"Don't worry about it. I'm planning on going back to Nee-san in a few days' time. I'll bring your friend along on Bonnie."

"Well, I'll leave you to him, Ganju," Ichigo said. He then turned to Jidanbo. "Hey, Jidanbo, you think you can do me a favour?"

"What is it Ichigo?" Jidanbo asked.

"Think you can open the Seireimon gate for me? It must have been a long time since you were a gatekeeper. I'm sure you want your old job back." The giant smiled.

"Of course. I'm happy to open the gate for you. When I first met you, I became so depressed after Ichimaru Gin cut my arm off. I started to think I was a worthless gatekeeper. But now I know that he lied to me. I'll carry you all the way to the wall to the Seireimon gate and then I will open it all the way up!"

"Thanks a lot Jidanbo," Ichigo turned to see Ganju again. "See you later Ganju. Take care of Chad for me will you?"

"Of course! Take care of yourself!" Ganju gave Ichigo the thumbs up sign as Jidanbo lifted him up onto this shoulder. The giant started running in the direction of the Seireimon, creating shocks in the ground with every step.

* * *

Notes: The assault on Soul Society has begun! This is the first chapter of a new arc, one focused mainly on the Soul Society. There are many new characters and ideas which may confuse readers, so I shall explain them.

**The Royal Guards**: This is the major development in this chapter. They will be the main antagonists for the rest of the story. Since Kubo hasn't specified what the Royal Guards look like, I took it into my own hands and developed the Royal Guards based on the most popular gods of Japanese Mythology. I figured that once a prominent captain of the Gotei 13 gets promoted to the Royal Guards, he or she loses her individual identity, and assumes the title and nature of the god whose position they are given. The nine Royal Guards mentioned so far are:

Ajisuke: Full name, Takakihone Ajisuke . A child-like Royal Guard who's the same height as Hitsugaya. Has spiky yellow hair. Is the son of Raiden. Based on the Shinto god of the same name.

Chimatano: Based on the Japanese Signpost god. Is in charge of the security forces. The god he is based on is represented by phallic images, so naturally enough he is lecherous and his powers are ahem phallis-based.

Futen: An old man who looks like Yama except with hair on his head. Is one of the four 'elemental' Royal Guards, and is based on the God of Wind. Is in charge of communications and lookouts.

Gama: A Based upon the Japanese God of Longevity. Full name Konsensei Gama. Like the god he's based on, he is very close to toads and frogs. Carries around a secret scroll that nobody can open.

Hachiman: A burly man who likes to fight. Wields a full-time release Shikai in the shape of an axe. Is based on the Japanese God of war.

Hamori: A somehwat older version of Hanataro, except he's not as hopeless. Is in charge of healing and cleaning. Carries a rake all day. Based on the Japanese God of Leaves.

Marisha: Full name Ten Marisha. An aggressive female dominatrix. Is based on the Japanese Goddess of War. More about her in later chapters.

Raiden: Based on the Japanese God of Lightning. Father of Ajisuke. More about him in later chapters.

Uzume: Sort of like a black-haired Matsumoto, with similar dimensions. Is extremely hyperactive. Based on the Japanese Goddess of Dancing.

**Aizen, Gin, Orihime and Chad**: Aizen has obviously become the new Spirit King. Gin remains his loyal Right hand man. Orihime has completely changed. She is now Aizen's 'queen'. The name that she calls herself now, Amaterasu, is obviously based on the Japanese Sun Goddess. More of about her will be revealed in later chapters.

Chad: Chad has gone back to the violent nature he had before he met his Grandfather. In addition to his two arms, I gave him a new power up, Armadura del Dioces, the Armour of the Gods. It's a fititng name for a new ability that covers Chad in a skin that is much tougher than Hierro.

**Ichigo's Gran Rey Cerob: **This is his ultimate hollow ability. He can't perform it without the help of Shirosaki. I figured that Shirosaki picked up how to do the technique from Grimmjow during their final battle. Ichigo doesn't know of course, and this is the only time he will be able to use the technique.

A lot more exciting developments are going to happen in the upcoming chapters, with a lot more exciting fights! Keep the reviews coming! The responses so far have been very helpful.


	11. Chapter 11: Tattoo on the Sky

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida and Kenpachi's division break into the Soul Society as part of a mission to retake it. Their presence is noticed by the seven Royal Guards in charge of Seireitei, who notify the Spirit King, Aizen, who secrelty orders a counter strike force to the real world, and sends the hypnotized Sado to intercept Ichigo and others. Ichigo chooses to fight Sado alone and allows the rest to go on without him. The two of them then engage in a brutal battle spanning half of Rukongai. The battle ends when Ichigo, assisted his inner allow, fired a Gran Rey Cero which knocks Sado out. As Ichigo tries to find his way back, he encounters Ganju and Jidanbo, who are hiding in the mountains. They show him the remnants of Karakura Town, and Ichigo leaves Sado in Ganju's hands, before departing with Jidanbo back towards Seireitei...

* * *

Chapter 11: Tattoo on the Sky

Finding Shiba Kukaku's house was easier than expected. After Kenpachi and the other 11th division members led them all on a wild goose chase through what seemed like all the districts of Rukongai, Rukia suggested that they should find some of the Rukongai citizens who were still alive and ask them about Kukaku. To their surprise, the few people they encountered wandering the streets all told them directions to Kukaku's house.

Rukia, Renji and the others followed upon the directions and after running for about an hour, eventually stumbled upon a clearing. They gasped at the building in front of them. It was a huge blue dome, painted to look like an expanding ball of energy, and beneath it was a garish pastiche of a house. On the roof the house the words "Shiba Kukaku" were painted in big red ink. And a huge chimney stack rose up from the house and protruded out of the dome like a mushroom cloud. It was plainly clear that the entire complex was a mockery of the destruction of Karakura Town.

"Oh boy, she's outdone herself this time," Ishida sighed, recalling the previous incarnations of Kukaku's house, which included arms, feet and a wrestler.

"Is this some sort of sick joke?" Renji groaned. Rukia said nothing as she saw three figures emerge from the front door of the house. One of them was Kukaku, wearing her trademark red dress which bared her massive cleavage. The two others were her helpers, Koganuhiko and Shiroganuhiko, twin brothers with curly moustaches and fancy Chinese style hats.

"Yo, long time no see," Kukaku smiled.

"Nice to see you again, Kukaku-sama," Rukia bowed.

"What brings you back here, Kuchiki Rukia? And I see that you're accompanied by 6th Division Vice Captain Abarai and the Quincy. Are you people planning on invading the Seireitei again?"

"Yeah, sort of," Rukia faked a smile. Kukaku smirked.

"Well, that's extremely gutsy of you. It's about time those stooges of Aizen got their come-uppance. I'm sick and tired of hiding in the shadows and tending to refugees."

"So that's where all the Rukongai citizens have gone…" Renji said. "They're under your protection?" Kukaku nodded.

"Or at least the ones who haven't been captured and placed in prison camps," she added. "So, how's it going in the real world? And how's Yoruichi going? Last time I heard she lost her left arm in a battle. Makes her like me I suppose!" Kukaku laughed. She had been one-armed for a very long time, so much so that her entire right shoulder region had atrophied.

"Well, Yoruichi-san is doing alright. She's been living with me and some other people from the Gotei 13. Her former pupil Soifon has looked after her well," Renji replied.

"I see. Soifon and Yoruichi were always close to each other," Kukaku sighed. "Very well then, let's get to it! Since all of the gates around the Seireimon are shut and the previous gatekeepers have either been killed, imprisoned or ran away, the only way through is by using my Flower Crane Cannon. Since that useless brother of mine Ganju has ran off into the mountains, we'll have to resort to launch method one; a direct aim with no way of adjusting mid flight. Now, which of you three is familiar with the Reishaku spirit cores?" Ishida held up his hand.

"I'm the only one who participated in the original incursion on Soul Society along with Kurosaki Ichigo," Ishida said.

"Oh yeah, speaking of Kurosaki, where is he? I'd expect that he'd come along as well," Kukaku said.

"Ichigo had to stay behind and fight one of our former Nakama who had turned to Aizen's side. He'll probably come along later," Rukia said.

"No matter! As both you and Renji are experienced Shinigami the reishakus should be easy to get. So it's only the three of you who are coming?" Rukia and Renji looked at Kukaku and then looked at each other nervously.

"Well…" Renji began. He didn't have time to finish what he was saying, for they all heard a loud rumbling coming towards them. Rukia turned around and saw Kenpachi charging like an angry bull, with Yachiru swinging happily on his back, and Ikkaku and Yumichika struggling to keep up.

"Hah, those guys from the 11th division came along with you, right?" Kukaku laughed. Rukia, Renji and Ishida both nodded with deep sighs. Kenpachi stopped just short of slamming into Kukaku, who almost wanted to cave his head in.

"Sorry about the delay…got sidetracked elsewhere," Kenpachi said.

"You can blame the Vice Captain for it," Ikkaku pointed to Yachiru. "She led us round in circles three times before the captain…" Before he could finish his sentence, Ikkaku was suddenly chomped in the head by Yachiru. He ran around like crazy trying to shake her off. The others looked on with a mixture of embarrassment and laugher.

"Enough of the silliness," Kukaku said. "Now that you're all here, let's proceed with the plan." She opened a hole inside the chimney stack and motioned them to get inside. Rukia, Renji and the others all placed their hands on the reishaku core at the centre of the chimney stack. At once a giant sphere of energy formed around them.

"Good, you managed to form a nice solid ball on your first try," Kukaku said. "Make sure that it stays that way throughout the entire journey. Try to keep all of your spirit pressures even to each other. If the ball even becomes a little bit unstable, then things will go boom! And all of you will get disintegrated. Understand?" Everyone nodded. Kukaku then whistled out. In a flash Koganuhiko and Shiroganuhiko pulled the levers and cranes. Rukia and the others inside the dome felt the chimney suddenly shift and tilt until they were at a diagonal position to the ground.

"Okay, get ready it's time to begin!" Kukaku shouted. She drew a circle of black ink around the chimney, as the twin brothers wrapped ropes around it to tie it to the ground. Kukaku then slammed her short sword into the platform and began chanting.

"There! The red bronze desire demands 45 degrees of adjustment. 72 pairs of shade, 13 pairs of whistle, the ape's right hand grabs the star!" The wrappings on her left arm came up and she pressed her left hand onto the black circle, instantly igniting it. Embracing 25 suns, the cradle of sand is bleeding. Kakuku style Flower Crane Cannon version one, KAGIZAKI!" In an instant the chimney stack burst into flames and shot the spirit ball out with tremendous force. Everyone in the ball except for Ishida gave a yell of surprise at the velocity they were travelling in. After the ball had disappeared into the horizon, Kukaku stood up and smiled. _Good luck on your mission guys._

* * *

The alarm bells sounded through Seireitei again. This time it was a far more immediate threat. Tengu scouts and early warning systems detected a strong spiritual presence heading straight for the seki-seki dome that enclosed Seireitei. Inside the former offices of the 1st division, the seven Royal Guards heard the sirens ring.

"It's those exiles!" Hachiman explained, licking his lips in anticipation. "I can't wait to confront them!" He dashed out of the room, axe clutched tightly in both hands.

"Hold on…Hachiman!" Futen tried to stop him, but it was futile. What further surprised him was seeing Chimatano and Gama heading out.

"Where are you two going?" Futen asked. Both of them turned around.

"To take care of the intruders of course," Chimatano replied. "I'm in charge of the security, so it's my responsibility for ensuring that the peace and safety of the Soul Society is maintained." He scratched his crotch once before departing.

"As for me," Gama said. "I just feel like eating one of those intruders. Haven't eaten anything substantial for months." His frog like tongue flickered outward, and he hopped out of the room. Futen was left wandering where the so called unity of the Royal Guards had gone.

"What shall we do now, old man?" Ajisuke asked as he sucked on bubblegum.

"I will contact the Central 46 and ask them for advice," Futen said.

"Hah, the Central 46? You're asking them? They're just mere puppets! We're the ones with the real power!" Uzume exclaimed, heaving her massive breasts.

"That may be so, but it is best to keep the illusion that we're just the servants of the Central 46. The three of you can do either stay here or join the other three in fighting off the intruders. I'm going to talk to the Central 46," Futen said. The other Royal Guards said nothing as they left the room. Futen sighed before departing the room himself and shutting the doors.

* * *

"Look, the Shakonmaku is up ahead!" Rukia exclaimed. They were almost over the Seireitei now, the giant domed city a truly wondrous sight. Only Ishida had ever seen the view from up here before. The seven of them held their hands tightly around the Reishaku core. Since the unity of spiritual pressures was essential if they were to break through, everyone attuned their spiritual pressures to Rukia's, who currently had the lowest amongst all of them. The one who had the hardest time doing so was Kenpachi; even with his eye patch on, he still struggle to contain his vast spiritual energy.

"Urgh, tone down your spiritual pressure, Captain Zaraki," Renji said. "It's becoming too high."

"I'm trying! I can't control it very well!" Kenpachi exclaimed.

"If this keeps happening, we're going to disintegrate if we crash into that dome," Ishida said.

"Don't worry about it," Ikkaku said. "As long as we punch through the dome itself, it doesn't matter what happens to the ball we're in. So let's all raise our spiritual pressures to the limit and solidify the ball as much as possible."

"Alright, but we'd better to it quickly. We're going to impact the dome-now!" Rukia exclaimed. The ball of energy slammed hard into the Shakonmaku, causing shockwaves to rippled throughout. After Kenpachi injected the Reishaku with his maximum patched spiritual pressure, the density of the ball was enough to break through the wall. As soon as it did so the outer coating of the ball disintegrated and the seven of them were temporarily suspended in the air.

"Whoa, what's happening?" Rukia asked.

"Don't panic! This is a side effect of the Reishaku ball being melted by the high concentration of spirit particles in the Shakonmaku!" Ishida yelled out. "Get ready, for in a second we're all going to be separated!" True to his word, the loose fabric that had held them together tore apart and they were engulfed in a massive tornado.

"Hey, this could work for us. Our primary objective is to free our comrades who are being held captive. We'd best avoid getting into fights with those royal guards until we free all of the prisoners, and the best way to do that is to split up," Renji suggested.

"That's a good idea. That way we'll throw the enemy into chaos, making them easier to cut down," Kenpachi said.

"Let's do it then," Rukia nodded. The seven of them decided who they wanted to pair up with. Rukia grabbed hold of Renji, Yachiru of course wrapped her arms around Kenpachi's back. Ishida decided to go with Ikkaku and Yumichika, the three of them holding hands. Once the tornado finally dispersed, the three separate groups were suddenly shot out in different directions. Each of them headed for a different part of Seireitei. Kenpachi and Yachiru headed for the division headquarters, Ishida, Ikkaku and Yumichika unknowingly headed in the direction of the maggot's nest, and Renji and Ishida set their sights on the Senzaikyu. Down below, the various tengu and oni grunts that were patrolling the streets of Seireitei scurried about in alarm, some running towards the anticipated landing points of the three intruder groups, others trying desperately to run away from them.

* * *

Kenpachi and Yachiru landed near the Great Eastern Holy Wall, the infamous place where Aizen had faked his death. Kenpachi slammed down hard on the ground, sending shockwaves rippling through the surface. He got up and inspected the scene.

"Well, this isn't a bad place to land," Kenpachi observed. "Looks like nobody has seen us."

"Yay, let's get going Ken-chan!" Yachiru exclaimed. Kenpachi was about to leap off the walls when a huge axe suddenly flew right past him, grazing his right cheek. He turned his head and saw someone standing on top of the building where Aizen's fake corpse had dangled off.

"At last, we meet, intruder. I sensed you were the strongest of the seven spiritual pressures," the other person said. He jumped off the building and landed right beside Kenpachi. He was a massively built man, easily as tall as Kenpachi, wearing nothing but a plain black vest and traditional Shinigami pants. The axe that had flew past returned to his hands, and Kenpachi saw that it was enormous, as long as his own sword, and with a gigantic axe head. He was clean-shaven, and his bald dome reminded Kenpachi of Ikkaku.

"Who are you?" Kenpachi asked.

"Who am I? I am Hachiman, the god of war! The eight Kenpachi!" the stranger exclaimed. Kenpachi was intrigued.

"You call yourself Kenpachi as well, eh? Does that mean you were once the 11th division captain?"

"You're absolutely correct! I was renowned as the strongest Kenpachi in history. The number of enemies I slew was legendary, so much so that the Commander-General recommended I be promoted to the royal guards!" Hachiman shouted.

"Is that so? How amusing," Kenpachi laughed. "Old man Yama took a liking to you eh? You've really caught my attention. I have a bone to pick about your boast though. I doubt you've killed as many people as I have, because I am the current captain of the 11th division, Zaraki Kenpachi!" Kenpachi unsheathed his five foot long sword. "Yachiru, go and stand on one of the two buildings. You can watch us fight from there."

"Okay Ken-chan. I'll be rooting for you!" Yachiru called out as she leaped off his shoulders. Hachiman looked at the pink-haired toddler with interest.

"Is she your Vice Captain? She looks a tad weak to me," he said.

"You wouldn't want to say that to Yachiru's face. She's stronger than she looks," Kenpachi added. "Now, how about we compare who's stronger? Judging from past records I am the 11th Kenpachi, and you said you were the 8th Kenpachi. Let's settle it then, which of us deserves the title of the strongest Kenpachi!"

"Huh, as if a simpleton like you could ever be stronger than me!" Hachiman gloated. "You don't even know your sword's name, do you? This is my Shikai, Shureda. It's in a permanent release mode."

"Shikai, eh? Sounds exciting. Why don't you test it on me now?"

"My pleasure!" Hachiman charged at Kenpachi, raising his axe above him. Kenpachi raised his sword to block Hachiman's downward strike. For a moment the two of them were locked together, blades grinding against each other trying to gain the advantage. Then their weapons slipped past each other and they exchanged several blows, each one sending shockwaves across the ground. Hachiman swung downward again, but his blow went wide and his axe was stuck in the ground. Kenpachi seized the opportunity and jabbed at his eyes. He only just missed, grazing Hachiman's cheeks. Hachiman pulled his axe out and immediately swung it upward, cutting a huge gash along Kenpachi's right side. Kenpachi flinched back, and barely blocked a horizontal slash by Hachiman that sent him flying towards the eastern wall. He did a back flip, pressed his feet against the wall, and flew past Hachiman, cutting him near the throat. Hachiman almost doubled over, but he straightened himself, and before Kenpachi could react, he was slashed across the back. Kenpachi fell onto his knees, panting heavily.

"Is that all you've got?" Hachiman asked. "You're hardly a challenge. I know that you're holding back. What's with that eye patch? Does it suppress your reiatsu? A foolish thing to do. You shouldn't show mercy towards your opponents." Kenpachi laughed.

"So, you've figured me out," he said. "It's true that I suppress my reiatsu to give my opponents a chance, but that's to make battles more fun. It's no good if I kill my enemies too quickly. But, since you seem like a tough opponent, I don't need to hold back!"

"Good! Don't hold back! Show me your true power!" Hachiman exclaimed. Kenpachi got up and took off his eye patch. In an instant a spiralling column of yellow aura engulfed him. Hachiman was taken aback at the sheer reiatsu; it was so heavy that it almost stifling. Kenpachi raised his sword up, sending a shockwave radiating outwards from his body.

"Come at me anyway you want," he said. Hachiman did not hesitate. He charged at Kenpachi and swung down heavily with his axe. Kenpachi blocked it-with his left hand. Hachiman's eyes widened. He pressed down as hard as he could but Kenpachi's hand didn't budge at all.

"Impossible!" Hachiman exclaimed. Kenpachi grinned, before he slashed hard across Hachiman's chest. Blood spewed out of the wound by the bucket load. When Kenpachi let go of the axe, Hachiman fell to the ground.

"Is that it? One blow was all it took to take you down?" Kenpachi asked as he stood over him. "I'll repeat what you said; you're hardly a challenge. If I had known better I would have left my eye patch on. One more blow is all that it takes to finish you." After taking several deep breaths, Hachiman began to laugh. It was the laughter of a mad man.

"I don't believe this. Never in my entire life have I ever been challenged this way! I'm glad I met you. You've given me my greatest ever battle!" he exclaimed. He got up and yelled "Bankai!" He exploded outwards with spiritual pressure. When the dust cleared Kenpachi saw he was holding a different weapon. It was an extraordinary large morning star. The handle itself was already five foot long. The chain added a further three feet and the spiked ball itself was nearly two feet wide. It was a truly menacing weapon, covered in black. Kenpachi was truly impressed.

"So, this is your Bankai?" he asked. "Looks pretty powerful."

"And it is powerful. This is my Bankai, Akuma no Shureda. No one has ever survived against it," Hachiman said. He twirled the morning star around with the handle and without warning swung it at Kenpachi. Kenpachi didn't even have time to react; his spine was basically pulverized as the iron ball slammed into him. He was sent flying backwards, smashing into the wall behind him with bone crunching force. The wall creaked under the sheer shock of the impact but it remained standing, with a large crater in the centre. Kenpachi coughed up blood and wavered for a bit, before he clambered out of the crater and charged at Hachiman. Before his sword could even reach his opponent's face, his own face was smashed by the morning star. He was sent flying off the edge of the wall, and barely stopped himself from falling. _Shit, his reach is too long. I can't even touch him_, Kenpachi thought. He tried Shunpoing, something he rarely did, but was actually good at, and reappeared right in front of Hachiman.

This time Kenpachi hit something at least-the handle of Hachiman's morning star. That was when Hachiman pulled his surprise trick. The chain of the morning star wrapped around Kenpachi's sword, completely trapping him. Then Hachiman swung the entire morning star around himself, sending Kenpachi into a spin. After several complete swings he threw Kenpachi at the other wall. This time the force of the impact was so strong that Kenpachi went right through the wall itself, sending the entire structure crumbling down. For the first time ever, Yachiru screamed as she fell with the wall. She landed hard on her bottom.

"Ouch, that hurt!" Yachiru yelled. She then saw Hachiman standing over her.

"I bet he's dead already. Now only the small runt is left," he sneered. Yachiru turned around and tried desperately to find Kenpachi.

"Ken-chan, Ken-chan, where are you?" she cried out. Her cries were answered when a hand shot out of the rubble. Kenpachi pushed away the sections of wall that were lying on top of him and got up. His entire body was bleeding all over. He had a huge gash on his forehead, massive hole in his waist, and cuts on his arms and legs. He breathed heavily.

"I am truly surprised. Your power was more than I expected," Kenpachi said as he walked out of the collapsed wall. "I can't believe I have to resort to this again." He gripped his sword with both arms. Hachiman felt a sudden jump in reiatsu.

"This is the only the second time I've had to resort to my Kendo in any fight; which is a sign that you've earned my respect. But, I should warn you; I'm way more powerful now," Kenpachi said. Hachiman just laughed.

"Is this your Kendo? Just fighting with two hands?" he asked. "What a joke! There's no difference if you fight with one hand or two. Do you think that makes you stronger?"

"Why don't you find out?" Kenpachi stood calmly and waited for Hachiman's attack. The royal guard charged at him like a berserker, swinging his morning star wildly. Kenpachi simply took a deep breath, and swung downwards with both hands. His blade easily broke Hachiman's Bankai, and what's more, ended up slicing his entire right arm clean from its socket. Hachiman doubled over and clutched his right shoulder in pain. Blood spewed out of it freely.

"See, I warned you this would happen," Kenpachi said. "Unlike my eye patch, this was something I hated using, because it's too powerful. One attack and it's all over. This fight is finished."

"No it isn't," Hachiman croaked as he clambered onto his feet, now holding his broken morning star with his left arm. "I never give up in a fight, not until my dying breath! I'm far from defeated!"

"You're an idiot. What's the point of fighting on when you know that you've lost? If you're dead then you can't fight anymore."

"Spare me the jabbering!" Hachiman shouted as he charged at Kenpachi. He swung the broken mace at him; Kenpachi responded with another Kendo slash, slicing off his left arm clean from its socket. Hachiman screamed out, and fell onto his back. Two huge pools of blood started to form under him. Kenpachi turned around and began walking away when he heard Hachiman scramble to his feet again. He was holding his broken Zanpakto, now reverted back to its Shikai form, in his mouth.

"Give me a break!" Kenpachi yelled. "You've got no arms. You can't even fight anymore. Is this a joke or something?" Hachiman didn't answer. Instead he charged at Kenpachi again. Kenpachi simply extended his sword out. He closed his eyes; he felt the sound of his blade going right through Hachiman's neck. He withdrew his sword, and heard the sounds of a head rolling across the ground. Kenpachi sighed with regret; he disliked killing a defenceless opponent. It was a far cry from his days a blood-crazed killer.

"Come on Yachiru, let's get going," he said.

"Okay, Ken-chan!" Yachiru smiled.

* * *

Ishida panted heavily as he struggled to keep up with Ikkaku and Yumichika. Since the two of them knew their way around, he allowed them to lead. They were running along the edge of the Sokyoku hill, heading towards a place that Ishida only knew as the Maggot's nest. He had no idea what it was, but Ikkaku had told him it was a place where suspected criminals were imprisoned indefinitely. Just as they were about to pass the leading edge of hill, they were suddenly attacked by a shower of razor sharp circular blades. Ishida received several minor cuts. He turned around and saw a fat man in Shinigami robes standing on top of a building. He was carrying a sword that looked like a miniature cannon.

"This is as far as you go intruders. I, Chimatano, will kill all of you!" the man shouted. Ikkaku and Yumichika drew their swords, ready to fight.

"Wait guys, leave him to me," Ishida said. "Go and rescue your comrades who are being held captive. I don't know my way around, so I'd do more by stalling him here."

"Fair enough, Quincy. Just make sure you finish him, okay?" Ikkaku asked. Ishida nodded. He watched the two of them run off.

"Where are you two going? Nobody escapes my grasp!" Chimatano shouted. He was about to charged after them when Ishida shot several arrows at his back.

"If you want to go after them, you'll have to go through me," Ishida said.

* * *

Rukia and Renji ran up the long flight of steps at the base of the Senzaikyu. The tower of penitence loomed high above them. Both were familiar with the battles that had taken place here. Renji had fought Ichigo at the base of the stairs during Rukia's execution, and subsequently Ichigo fought against Kenpachi at the top of the stairs a day later. The stairs and the base of the Senzaikyu had been completely rebuilt after the events of Aizen's betrayal, and now, even after four years of occupation, they were still intact. Rukia made it to the top of the stairs and continued running. Renji however tripped on the second last one from the top and fell over.

"Are you alright Renji?" Rukia asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just keep going," Renji said. Rukia turned around and continued running, not bothering to wait for Renji to get up. She ran a considerable distance along the path leading to the Tower of Repentance when she was suddenly attacked by a long whip-like object. It wrapped itself around her and she was suddenly pulled into a side passage. As she struggled to break free she heard a voice whisper behind her.

"You're a pretty little girl. I'm going to enjoy eating you," a man behind her licked her on the face. Rukia flinched and tried desperately to get out.

"What's the struggle? Don't worry, I, Gama, will make it quick and painless…" Before he could finish speaking, he was kicked hard in the face. His let go of Rukia, who fell to the ground. She turned around and saw Renji.

"Rukia, are you okay?" Renji asked. She nodded. "You go ahead. I'll deal with this sick bastard."

"Alright. Take care Renji," Rukia said. She headed towards the tower.

* * *

Notes: Now that was a long chapter, the longest so far. The gang of intruders has broken into Seireitei and the Royal Guard have scrambled to intercept them! More titanic battles to come next chapter!

Some things to point out:

Kukaku's Flower Crane Cannon: The same one that Ichigo and friends used to break into Seireitei during the Soul Society arc to rescue Rukia. As Ganju isn't with her, Kukaku has to resort to launch method 1, which is direct fire.

Central 46: This is merely a puppet government set up by Aizen to fool the populace of Soul Society into thinking that his government is legitimate.

Shakonmaku: This is the giant spherical dome that covers Seireitei. It is made out of a barrier that breaks down all spiritual bodies who try to enter, and hence requires a compressed force like the cannon ball to puncture it.

Great Eastern Holy Wall: This is the wall where Aizen faked his death.

Hachiman/Kenpachi: He is the 8th Kenpachi. That is, the 8th person to be captain of the 11th division. He was promoted to the Royal Guard about 200-250 years ago.

Shureda/Akuma no Shureda: Japanese for Shredder, this is Hachiman's Zanpakto. It remains in constant release form like Ichigo's Zangetsu. His Bankai, Devil Shredder, is a giant morning star.

Keep the reviews coming! I've loved the feedback so far.


	12. Chapter 12: White Tower Rocks

* * *

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida and the members of the 11th division have broken into the Soul Society as part of an offensive to retake it. Ichigo stayed behidn to deal with Chad who was sent by Aizen to kill off the intruders. The remaining members hitched a ride on Shiba Kukaku's flower crane cannon. In a style reminscent of Ichigo's first break in to rescue Rukia, their cannonball smashed through Sereitei's defences. The seven then decided to split up into three groups in order to search for the imprisoned members of the Gotei 13. Kenpachi and Yachiru landed near the wall where Aizen had faked his death. They were confronted by the royal guard Hachiman, who was the former captain of the 11th division. The former Kenpachi and the current Kenpachi fought a brutal battle to the death. Hachiman gained the advantage when he revealed his Bankai, but Kenpachi defeated him with two Kendo slashes. Hachiman refused to surrender and Kenpachi was forced to finish him off.

* * *

Chapter 12: White Tower Rocks

Ishida dodged a hail of circular blades and ducked behind a building. The blades narrowly missed him. He had been fighting with the royal guard Chimatano for some time, and didn't have a chance yet to land a shot back. The discs that were being fired out of his opponent's Zanpakto were way too fast for him to dodge. He already been cut multiple times across his face, arms, legs and waist, and the blood was beginning to drip from his body.

"Ha, ha, ha, what's wrong, Quincy?" Ishida could hear Chimatano laughing. "Why don't you come out? Are you afraid to fight me? You said you were going to stop me right? If you're not going to fight then I will go and kill those friends of yours!" Ishida greeted his teeth. _Damn, this guy is annoying. There must be some way to win._ Then a brainwave hit; he still hadn't tested out his familiar yet. He remembered what his father had told him during the training…

"_Uryu, you have finally mastered your familiar," Ryuken said. "In a very short span of time I must add. You truly do have the talent to be a Quincy. Now, remember, the powers of each familiar will vary. My familiar is suited to long range aggressive strikes. However, your familiar appears suited to feints and distraction. You must learn how to user it wisely. Properly used, the familiar is the most powerful tool in a Quincy's arsenal…"_ Ishida summoned his familiar using the words, "Come out, Kojaku." All of a sudden a shimmering blue sparrow materialized in his right palm. He knew what his father meant by Kojaku being suited to feints; its abilities had to do with blinding people, casting illusions, and acting as a remote camera.

Ishida mouthed a silent command to Kojaku and the sparrow flew out from behind the wall. Since he shared the bird's eyes, he could actually see where Chimatano was. He made sure the royal guard saw the bird and then mentally shouted the command "_Blind!"_ The sparrow emitted a brilliant white flash which blinded Chimatano. Ishida seized the chance to come out and fired at once a salve of a thousand arrows at him. Chimatano recovered just in time to block most of the arrows. Ishida quickly followed up by firing a Seele Schneider at Chimatano which succeeded in piercing the royal guard's right lung. Chimatano screamed in pain as blood spurted out of his body.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! You hurt me, you bastard!" Chimatano swore. "I can't believe you got past my Kamisori! Very well then, I'll hit you with everything I've got! BANKAI!"

Ishida covered his eyes as a blinding light engulfed Chimatano. Ishida felt a sudden spike in his opponent's reiatsu and knew it was because of his Bankai. Once the smoke cleared Ishida opened his eyes and gasped at what he saw. Chimatano no longer had his sword anymore. Now he was actually sitting upon a gigantic spinning razor disk, at least fifty foot wide. The blade vibrated at close to ten million rounds per second, a speed which even Ishida's Seele Schneiders couldn't match. He was screwed if he got hit.

"Ha, ha, ha! How do you like this?" Chimatano laughed. "This is my Bankai, Tentei Kamisori. It's sharp enough to cut through even the toughest steel. You'll never escape it!" In a flash Chimatano flew at Ishida upon his flying disc. Ishida just managed to jump out of the way. At the corner of his eye he saw the royal guard turning around and coming back at him. Ishida quickly formed a Hirenkyaku hover hoard under his feet and flew on it to get away from Chimatano. The two of them began a chase throughout half of Soul Society, flying across buildings, ducking through alleyways, even ascending to the top of Sokyoku Hill and coming down.

No matter how hard Ishida tried, he couldn't shake Chimatano off. What was more, his hover board, being made of pure spirit particles, was starting to disintegrate. He couldn't afford to stay on it indefinitely. He turned around and noticed that Chimatano was gaining on him.

"Too bad Quincy! There's no way you can escape from me!" Chimatano laughed madly. Ishida thought hard about how to shake him off. _I need some way of distracting him so that I can have Kojaku replace me as a copy…that's it!_ Ishida solidified his board again for one burst of speed. Chimatano saw what he was doing and tried hard to catch up to him. Just as Ishida reached two buildings with an alley between them he suddenly threw several ginto tubes at Chimatano's face. Then he made some hand signs.

""Zeller trick fawn keats halt fuerto, GRITZ!!" Ishida shouted. A five sided rectangular cloth engulfed Chimatano, delaying him for a second. Ishida quickly ducked into the alleyway and mentally called Kojaku to cast an illusion of himself and directed it to fly to the same spot he was and stay there. Soon enough Chimatano broke out of the cloth, murderous intent in his eyes.

"You fucking Quincy! I'll get you for this!" he shouted. He chased after the fake Ishida created by Kojaku. The real Ishida, who was hiding in the alleyway, directed the sparrow to fly towards the Sokyoku hill. He then jumped onto his board and flew behind Chimatano, careful not to be noticed. Once Kojaku had reached the Sokyoku, Ishida commanded it to slow down.

"At last I have you!" Chimatano shouted. His spinning disc slammed into illusion, which dissipated instantly. Chimatano froze in shock, as Kojaku flew away unharmed.

"Behind you!" Ishida called out as he fired another Seele Schneider, this time just missing the royal guard's soul chain. Chimatano screamed in pain as he was sent crashing into the Sokyoku hill. It took a while for him to get himself out. As he turned around Ishida saw two huge holes in his chest, made by the Seele Schneiders.

"Damn you, damn you! I've never been this humiliated in my life!" Chimatano swore. "I can't believe I have to resort to this-my final gamble!" He summoned two shining yellow discs in both hands. "This is my Bankai's final power, flying Kamisori!" Ishida quickly flew off to escape the two discs. He heard Chimatano laughing as the royal guard watched his discs chase Ishida around. This time Ishida couldn't pull off the same trick as before. He flew around in circles to evade the discs, whilst trying to think of a way to evade them. He tried flying _at_ Chimatano, hoping that the royal guard would lose momentary control over his own discs.

"Do you think can fool me with that obvious trick? Those discs lock onto to your reiatsu! You can't escape it!" Chimatano laughed madly. As Ishida swerved to avoid Chimatano the two discs also followed him. At this point and idea came to Ishida's mind. He got some distance away and then flew at Chimatano again.

"Oh come on, not this again!" Chimatano laughed. Ishida mentally shouted "_blind"_ to Kojaku. The sparrow flew in front of the royal guard and cast a blinding light into his eyes again. This gave Ishida the chance to attach something to Chimatano's body-a device that contained a portion of his own spirit energy. It emitted the exact same reiatsu as himself. As Ishida suddenly landed on the ground, the discs went haywire. They sensed _two_ Ishidas and subsequently went for the closest one, which was the device attached to Chimatano. The royal guard got his eye sight back just in time to see both blades fly at him. He was cut in half at the chest. The two discs smashed into the Sokyoku and exploded. His Bankai shattered and reverted to a plain sword which promptly broke. Ishida watched the now severed Chimatano fell slowly to the ground, his eyes frozen in shock. His body landed beside Ishida with a heavy thud. Amazingly Chimatano was still able to move his arms.

"I, I cannot accept this! I, I refuse to be defeated!" he croaked as he tried crawling towards Ishida. Ishida stomped on his face.

"Give up; you're going to die soon. Why don't I put you out of your misery?" Ishida asked. Chimatano didn't answer. Ishida promptly fired an arrow right through his skull. The royal guard finally slumped over motionless. Ishida returned Kojaku to his body and walked in the direction where Ikkaku and Yumichika's spiritual signatures were.

* * *

Renji panted as he ran through the narrow side streets at the base of the Senzaikyu. His battle with Gama had gone on for a long time, and several buildings had already been destroyed. As he ran into a clearing he saw a giant pink tongue slither out and strike at him. Renji dodged it and then Shunpo-ed towards the source of the tongue-Gama. The frog like royal guard licked his lips as he saw Renji appear. The tongue-like whip was his Shikai, and Renji had already seen what it could do. He slashed Zabimaru directly at Gama's head. Gama raised his left hand to block, but Renji's blade dug deep into his skin.

"Got you at last," Renji said.

"Is that so?" Gama smirked. All of a sudden the tongue whip wrapped itself around Renji. He then spun Renji around him several times before flinging him backwards. Renji fell onto the ground and skidded for a hundred metres before he managed to right himself.

"You're a slippery target," Gama said. "I can't believe you allowed my prey to escape. I so wanted to have her."

"Prey? Are you talking about Rukia?" Renji asked. "You sick bastard. You thought of her as nothing but food?"

"Of course. I have a voracious appetite, and only the souls of other beings can satisfy me. I first play with my food and nibble them at the edges before I devour them whole." Renji felt sickened inside as he watched drool drip from Gama's mouth. He had experienced the same sensation once before; when he fought the Espada Szayelapollo Grantz, who devoured his underlings and impregnated others. But seeing a fellow Shinigami commit the same acts appalled him.

"You disgust me. I've seen hollows have better moral sense than you," Renji said. "You don't deserve to live. Howl…Zabimaru!" His Shikai shot at Gama. Before the royal guard could react, Zabimaru had wrapped itself around him. Renji then swung Gama through multiple buildings until he was behind him, Then Renji pulled Gama right up close to him. Gama's eyes widened when Renji pointed his left hand directly into his face.

"Hadou no. 31, Shakakho!" Renji shouted. A massive blast of red fire shot out of his hand, completely engulfing Gama and sending him flying out of the Senzaikyu. Renji watched him falling down the steps below, landing heavily with a thud. When the smoke dissipated, Renji could see that Gama's previously ugly but unblemished face was now completely scorched, with garish red and black blotches on it.

"You, you bastard! You ruined my beautiful face!" Gama gasped. "My face, which attracted so many beautiful women to me before I ate them, you took it away from me! For that you will pay! Before I go after that raven-haired girl, I'll slaughter you mercilessly! If my Zanpakto, Kaeru Kousetzu, does not work, then I'll simply go one better!" He got up and raised his Shikai above himself. "BANKAI!" A giant cloud of dust engulfed Gama. Renji couldn't tell what was going on, but he sensed his opponent's reiatsu increase dramatically. He could barely make out a large shape. Once the dust cleared, the shape resolved into something that shocked Renji. In front of him was a truly enormous frog, with green and yellow skin. It was easily twenty feet tall, almost reaching the top of the stairs. What was more hideous was seeing where Gama went; Renji realized that the royal guard had actually _merged_ with the frog, and was now little more than a face above the frog's eyes.

"Ha, ha, ha, you stand no chance against me now!" Gama laughed. "This is my Bankai, Hairiguchi Kaeru Kousetzu!" In a flash the giant frog lashed out its tongue at Renji, who just managed to jump into the air to avoid it. He saw the tongue smash the top of the steps to pieces. To his surprise the frog then jumped into the air and opened its mouth. Just as he was about to be devoured, Renji Shunpo-ed to the ground. The frog jumped off the base of the Senzaikyu and leaped towards Renji. Renji tried to Shunpo away again, but this time he failed to avoid the frog's tongue, which slammed into his waist. Renji a thousand a sharp needles pierce his skin. He was then flung towards a building, crashing through the roof and landing on a platform below. He struggled to get up again; blood flowed down the side of his face and from his waist. He had an enormous gash on his forehead, and his stomach and liver had been severely punctured. _Damn, I'm going to get eaten if I don't do something soon!_ He finally got up and raised his sword.

"Bankai!" he shouted. His sword transformed into a humongous yellow snake made entirely of bone, and he himself was covered with the furry coat of a baboon. When he emerged through the smoke, he was surprised by Renji.

"So, that is your Bankai. Too bad it won't do anything against me." Renji raised the handle of his sword now the tail of the snake, and commanded his Bankai, Hihio Zabimaru, to attack Gama's Bankai. The giant snake launched itself at the frog. Gama's Bankai leaped out of the way. Renji swung his Bankai around for a second attack. At this moment Gama opened his frog's mouth and spat out a vat of acid at Renji. In a quick reflex reaction, Renji separated his Bankai into its component joints and Shunpo-ed out of the way. A small amount of acid landed on his left hand. Renji gritted his teeth as the skin of his hand was virtually eaten away. He clutched his left hand as he directed all of Zabimaru's pieces to hover in the air.

"Higa Zekko," Renji silently mouthed. The more than two dozen joints arranged themselves with their sharp ends down and in a unison formation descended upon Gama at once. Gama screamed in pain as he and his frog were pierced everywhere. As Gama struggled to shake the joints off, Renji was busy muttering an incantation.

"Mask of flesh and blood. All forms fluttering, he who is crowned in mans name," Renji said to himself. "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel, with light, divide this into six…" He directed all of Zabimaru's pieces to come together again. As the blades detached themselves from Gama, he and his frog turned around and jumped at Renji.

"I've got you now!" Gama shouted, his voice a hideous mixture of human and frog. Renji charged the spirit energy in his left hand and pointed his index finger at Gama.

"Bakudou no. 61, Rikujokorou!" Renji shouted. In an instant six golden rods of light slammed into Gama, completely immobilizing him and his frog. As he struggled to break free, Renji took the chance to have Zabimaru attack. The giant bone snake sunk its fangs right into the frog's head and mouth. Renji heard a shriek as Gama himself was punctured by the fangs. The six rods dissipated; Renji's skill with that spell wasn't very good. It was enough to ensure that once he relaxed Zabimaru's fangs, Gama still remained immobilized. In fact his entire Bankai, the giant frog disintegrated into a gooey pool of slime.

"What, no way! How did my Bankai just disappear?" Gama asked in shock. He stared at his Zanpakto, now just a normal sword.

"You know what it means if your Bankai disappears against your will, don't you?" Renji explained as he raised Zabimaru again. "It's a sign that you're close to death. Zabimaru's fangs contain deadly poison, enough to kill a grown man in thirty seconds. I could just leave you here to die a painful death, but I shall be merciful, and finish you off quickly." The look in Gama's eyes was one of mortal fear. In desperation he attempted to jump into the air and flee. Renji simply shouted "Hikotsu Taiho!" His Bankai flared up and the snake mouth fired a gigantic ball of red energy at Gama. There was no escape. The royal guard was engulfed in the blast and was disintegrated. The explosion demolished nearly all of the buildings in a quarter mile area. Renji returned his Zanpakto to normal, having expended almost all of his energy. He sheathed his sword and, clutching his burnt left hand, headed for the Tower of Penitence.

* * *

Ikkaku and Yumichika ran at breakneck speed towards the Maggot's Nest. They had stormed through the entrance of the 2nd Division headquarters, killing more than two dozen of the strange 'oni' guards. They were now running across the bridge that spanned the gigantic moat separating the underground detention quarters from the rest of Seireitei. Ikkaku and Yumichika were both familiar with the place. They had been locked up in the detention centre twice during their early days in the Gotei 13, after refusing to undertake the Shinigami entrance exams. Ikkaku in particular had experience with previous jail wardens and was familiar with the fact that Urahara Kisuke, the exiled 12th division captain, was once the head warden.

"Alright Yumichika, let's beat up all the jailers!" Ikkaku exclaimed.

"Sure thing Ikkaku!" Yumichika repeated. Just as they were about to reach the other end of the bridge, they suddenly attacked by a mysterious figure. Ikkaku raised his scabbard to block. He turned around to see who it was. His eyes widened when he saw the figure of Hisagi Shuhei, Vice Captain of the 9th division.

"Vice Captain Hisagi…what are you doing here?" Ikkaku asked.

"I've been ordered to guard the Underground detention centre and prevent anyone from breaking in and freeing the prisoners," Hisagi answered without emotion.

"Does this mean you've betrayed the Gotei 13?" Yumichika asked.

"The Gotei 13 no longer exists. I answer only to the legitimate government of Seireitei…the Royal Special Taskforce," Hisagi said. Ikkaku sighed as he drew his sword out of its scabbard.

"You go ahead Yumichika. I'll beat the senses out of this guy," he said. Yumichika nodded and ran through the entrance at the other end of the bridge. Hisagi tried to stop him, but Ikkaku Shunpo-ed in front of him.

"Sorry, I'm not going to let you go after my friend. If you want to chase after him, you'll have to go through me." Hisagi's facial expression didn't change as he unsheathed his sword and faced Ikkaku.

"Fine, I'll simply kill you here and then I'll kill Yumichika," he said. "Strike, Ikasuchi!" His sword lengthened into a six foot long staff with halberds at both ends. The halberds and the staff itself crackled with lightning.

"Ha, ha, is that your Shikai? First time I've ever seen it! Very well, I shall fight you with my Shikai! Extend, Houzukimaru!" Ikkaku shouted. He combined his scabbard and his sword together, the two merging to become a three-part staff of equal length of Hisagi's, with a foot long spear at one end and a red string ribbon at the other. The two of them started fighting on the bridge itself. Ikkaku pressed his offensive, launching a series of rapid jabs at Hisagi. Hisagi blocked them with both sides of his staff and then counterattacked, sending a jolt of lightning through Ikkaku's body. Ikkaku struggled to stand up as he entire body was almost paralyzed. He tried splitting his Shikai into three pieces and wrapped it around Hisagi's neck. But that gave Hisagi an easy conductor. He placed the halberd of his staff on top of Ikkaku's spear end. Lightning ran along Ikkaku's staff, shocking him again. Hisagi finished off by slicing a huge gash along Ikkaku's chest. Ikkaku fell onto his back, his body trembling with electric surges.

"Shit, I didn't know your Shikai was that powerful," Ikkaku said. "Yumichika told me you didn't call out sword when you fought him. If you did, you would have beaten him soundly."

"True, I held back when that time. It was foolish of me to do so," Hisagi said. "But it's obvious now right? You cannot win against me." Hearing this, Ikkaku laughed.

"Are you saying the battle is over? You know what Yumichika said to you. We 11th division members never give up until we're dead," Ikkaku sighed. He got up again and held Houzukimaru tightly in his hands. "I'll tell you one thing. Do you know why Yumichika is only the 5th seat even though he's as strong as a 3rd seat? It's because he doesn't like the look of the number four. Also, it's because I'm stronger than him."

"It that so? Then you're still weaker than me because I'm a Vice Captain."

"That's what you think. I'll show you a little surprise. Keep this a secret to yourself. This is something only Yumichika and Renji though. I don't want word of it to spread around…BANKAI!" A huge ball of reiatsu engulfed Ikkaku, destroying the middle section of the bridge. Hisagi leaped into the air to avoid getting hit. When the dust cleared, Ikkaku was holding a giant crescent shaped spade in his right hand, and an equally large guan dao in his left. Joining the two weapons together were steel chains attached two a ridiculously oversized axe head engraved with the image of a dragon.

"This is my Bankai, Ryumon Houzukimaru," Ikkaku smiled. Hisagi was stunned. His arms and legs were shaking at the spiritual pressure that Ikkaku emitted. Wasting no time, Ikkaku raised the spade and guan dao up and slammed both of their blunt ends at Hisagi's head. Hisagi was knocked unconscious in one blow, falling onto the remaining portion of the bridge. Ikkaku quickly reverted his Zanpakto its sealed state, in the fear that other people would have noticed his Bankai.

"Tch, I only one blow. You're weaker than I thought," Ikkaku sighed. He left Hisagi lying on the bridge and jumped into the Underground chamber.

* * *

Yumichika ran down a long cavernous flight of steps to the entrance of the Maggot's Nest. He had overpowered the guards at the top of the stairs easily. Being a narcissistic person who liked beautiful things, he hated this place, as it was so dark and creepy. When he reached the bottom of the steps though, he was confronted by another person he didn't expect to see: Izuru Kira. He had the same emotionless expression that Hisagi had.

"What are you doing here, Izuru?" Yumichika asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to prevent anyone from getting past," Kira replied.

"So, you're just like Hisagi," Yumichika sighed. "In that case I'll have to treat you like an enemy. Bloom, Fujikujaku!" His sickle-shaped sword split into four separate sickles. Seeing Yumichika release his Shikai, Kira drew out his sword.

"Raise your head, Wabisuke," Kira said. The top of his blade changed into a square hook. "You don't know what my sword's ability is, do you, Yumichika? Renji knows, as he's seen it before. But now, you'll have the pleasure of experiencing it yourself." Kira rushed at Yumichika and slashed at him multiple times. Yumichika managed to block each strike, but after the eighth strike, he suddenly fell to his knees as his sword became much heavier. Kira now stood in front of him, his sword raised in the air.

"Wabisuke doubles the weight of anything it hits. The effect is cumulative, so if I hit your sword eight times, its weight is multiplied by a factor of eight. When you can no longer hold your sword, you are forced to bend down, as if apologizing. Hence the name, Wabisuke. It is over, Yumichika!"

"Heh, it's surprising that Renji knows what your Shikai is," Yumichika smiled. "Because, Renji also knows my sword's true ability. Even my best friend Ikkaku doesn't know yet, because if it did, he'd get mad at me. Don't you dare tell anyone this, especially not Ikkaku or my Captain. Sakikurune!" All of a sudden a multitude of greenish feathers rose out from the sword and latched themselves onto Kira. Within a few seconds Kira was completely drained of his energy and fell over unconscious. Yumichika suddenly felt exuberant, but his sword remained just as heavy, so with his new strength, he sheathed it into his scabbard and walked towards the door.

* * *

Rukia ran to the top of the bridge leading over to the top of the Tower of Penitence. She had sensed the massive clashes of reiatsu near the base of the Senzaikyu, and wondered if Renji was alright. As she was about to cross the bridge, she noticed there was someone guarding the door to the tower; someone that was familiar. Rukia slowly walked across the bridge, and the image of the person became clearer. It was Hinamori Momo. Rukia hadn't seen her for more than five years; ever since she was dispatched on her first fateful mission to the real world where she met Ichigo. She had heard about what happened to Hinamori during the events surrounding her execution; Aizen had almost killed her and she was left mentally broken for years. But seeing Hinamori in the flesh was even worse than the rumours. She looked like a zombie, her eyes completely blood red. Her face showed no emotion, only an instinct to kill. As Rukia walked to an arm's length away from Hinamori she suddenly had a sword pointed in her face.

"What's the matter, Hinamori? Let me through!" Rukia protested.

"No. I have been ordered by Aizen-sama to guard the prisoners behind me. Since you are attempting to free them, then you must be an enemy of Aizen-sama," Hinamori said in a deadpan voice. "If so, then I kill you in the name of Aizen-sama! Snap, Tobiume!" Her exploded with red reiatsu, and the shape of it changed. Now it was much more slender, with two prongs ticking out at both ends of the blade. Rukia jumped back as Hinamori fired a red ball of spirit energy at her. She drew out her sword and quickly shouted, "Dance, Sode no Shrayuki!" Her sword changed into its Shikai form. However, she didn't have time to react when Hinamori ran up to her and slashed at her chest. Though Rukia blocked the attack, the force of it sent her flying off the bridge and hundreds of feet down below.

Hinamori was about to seal her Zanpakto, when she heard the words, "First Dance, Tsukishiro" echoe below. In an instant a column of ice erupted into the air. At the top of the column was Rukia who fired a chantless Byakurai spell at Hinamori. Hinamori jumped up to dodge the attack, which went straight through the bridge. Her jumped brought her level with Rukia, who grapped hold of Hinamori and slammed her down to the bridge, Hinamori tried to break free, but Rukia placed her sword at her throat.

"Get off me!" Hinamori shouted.

"Not until you listen to me," Rukia said forcefully. "Do you still trust blindly in Aizen? He tried to kill you many times. He used you like a puppet, just like he used me and all the other Shinigami! Do you think he really cared for you? What about your nakama? Toshiro, Izuru, Renji, do you know what happened to them?"

"But, but, I believe that Aizen-sama is still good at heart. He must have been tricked by Ichimaru!" Hinamori protested. Rukia sighed in regret.

"Ichimaru was indeed a deceiver, but he was only Aizen's pawn. Aizen has never been good in the first place. From the beginning, the kindness he presented to everyone was just an act. Do you think someone who was originally good would have been willing to callously murder innocent people?" Hinamori didn't know how to respond. She was sweating all other and Rukia sensed she was almost past the breaking point. In a rage she pointed her left hand at Rukia's face.

"Hadou no. 31, Shakaho!" she shouted. Rukia barely dodged the red blast of fire. Hinamori stood up again and began a double chant. One that Rukia was familiar with.

"The wall of blue fire will be carved in two. I shall wait for the glorious fire at the Zenith peak. Hadou no. 73, Souren Soukatsui!" Hinamori shouted as she clasped both palms together. A massive blast of blue energy shot out of her hands. Rukia sensed the danger straight away. She raised her sword out and chanted, "Bakudou no. 81, Danku!" A large white barrier with an eight pointed star surrounding an inner circle appeared in front of Rukia. The barrier completely dispelled the blast. Hinamori was left quivering in fear as Rukia dissipated the barrier.

"I'm sorry Hinamori. For the sake of peace, I must defeat you," Rukia said. "Bakudou no. 61, Rikujokorou." Six golden rods attached themselves to Hinamori, immobilizing her. Then Rukia stabbed her sword into the ground four times, creating trails of ice that linked together and formed a sphere surrounding her.

"Next Dance, Hakuren," Rukia whispered. A huge stream of snow and ice shot out from her blade. It completely engulfed Hinamori, encasing her in a solid block of ice. Rukia then silently mouthed the words, "_melt_". The block of ice, instead of shattering to pieces, slowly turned into water. Hinamori emerged again, covered with water. She toppled onto her stomach unconscious. Rukia returned her sword to its sealed form and sheathed it. She then walked over to Hinamori and checked her pulse; she was still breathing. Rukia hauled Hinamori over her shoulder and walked towards the door of the Tower of Penitence.

* * *

Futen entered the chambers of the Central 46. The frail old man beheld the shadowy faces Aizen had chosen to be the new government of Seireitei.

"What is the order from Aizen-sama?" Futen asked. There was a pause for one minute. Then, in unison all of the members of the Central 46 responded.

"Wipe them out. All of them."

* * *

Notes: Man, this is the largest chapter of the story so far! The chapters keep on getting bigger! More exciting fights are going to take place in upcoming chapters.

For the fights featured in this chapter, there are a number of special terms that need to be noted.

Kamisori: This is Chimatano's Zanpakto. Its name means razor in Japanese. In its shikai state it fires a continous stream of razor blades at an opponent. Its Bankai form is called Tentei Kamisori, or heavenly Razor. This transforms Chimatano's Zanpakto into a large spinning disc which has an attachment that Chimatano himself can ride on. The blade vibrates at 10 million revolutions per second. In addition, Chimatano can create flying razor blades with his hands whilst in Bankai form. These blades track an opponent by locking onto their spiritual pressure.

Ishida's tracker: This is a small device that Ishida can attach to any surface or object. It contains a portion of his own spirit energy, and emits a signal that corresponds to Ishida's reiatsu. It is a tool mainly used to confuse opponents.

Kaeru Kousetzu: This is Gama's Zanpkato. Its name means Frog Tongue in Japanese. In its shikai state it exists as a flexible whip made of rubbed that can stretch more than thirty feet and wrap itself around objects. Gama can control it at will. Its Bankai form is called Hairiguchi Kaeru Kousetzu, or Mouth of the Frog Tongue. This form is a gigantic frog, which has a spiky tongue that can shoot out over a hundred feet and spit acid from its mouth. Whilst using this form Gama is physically fused to the frog. The only visible part of his body is his face which is located above the frog's eyes.

Ikasuchi: This is Hisagi's Zanpakto. Its name means lightning in Japanese. Since neither the manga nor the anime has shown it yet, I've been forced to make it up. It's a double sided halberd which crackles with electicity. Hisagi can shoot lightning at his opponents, and both halberd blades conduct electricity.

Keep the reviews coming! I've really liked the responses so far, and I try to reply to each of them.


	13. Chapter 13: Night of the Sledgehammer

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida and the members of the 11th division entered the Soul Society as part of a mission to retake it from Aizen's forces. Ichigo stayed back to deal with Sado who had been ordered to kill them. The rest broke into Seireitei using the flower crane cannon and were soon confronted by Aizen's royal guard and traitorous former comrades. Kenpachi fought a battle to the death against a former 11th division captain. Ishida used his new familiar and some clever thinking to outwit the insane Chimatano, killing the royal guard with his own weapon. Renji poisoned and then obliterated the disgusting Gama, who was a self-confessed cannibal. Ikkaku, Yumichika and Rukia faced off against Hisagi, Kira and Hinamori, the Vice Captains of the three traitor captains, and quickly overpowered them. Now they have broken into the Maggot's Nest and the Tower of Penitence, where the other officers of the Gotei 13 have been imprisoned...

* * *

Chapter 13: Night of the Sledgehammer

Ishida reached the bridge leading to the Secret Underground Detention Facility. He was following Zaraki Kenpachi and his Vice Captain Yachiru, who had met up with him at the entrance of the 2nd Division headquarters. Kenpachi looked terrible; his face and torso was dripping with blood. Ishida suggested he seek medical aid, but Kenpachi just shrugged it off. Upon reaching the bridge, the three of them saw that it wasn't intact. Half of the bridge had been completely demolished. Even more, someone was lying unconscious on the part of the bridge that was still remaining.

"Hey, look, it's a Gotei 13 officer!" Yachiru exclaimed. Kenpachi knelt down beside the body and flipped it over. Both he and Yachiru's eyes widened in shock.

"This is Hisagi Shuhei, Vice Captain of the 9th division," Kenpachi said. "Haven't seen him for years. I wonder what happened here."

"Maybe he and baldy had a fight and baldy won!" Yachiru laughed. Kenpachi was amused.

"Yeah, probably. Ikkaku always gets into fights," Kenpachi turned to Ishida. "Let's go." Ishida nodded and followed the Kenpachi and Yachiru into the Maggots' Nest. They hurried down the dark stairwell and arrived at the bottom, where they saw another Gotei 13 officer lying slumped against a wall.

"Hey, that's Izuru!" Yachiru exclaimed. Ishida sort of recognized the blonde-haired Vice Captain from the 3rd division.

"He must have gotten into a fight as well…probably with Yumichika," Kenpachi said. Ishida pushed upon the door, and to his surprise it was unlocked. They stepped inside and beheld a very strange scene. Sitting on benches, chairs and rocks in a vast, floodlit cavern, were Ikkaku, Yumichika, and the other male Gotei 13 officers who had been imprisoned. They were having a drinking party. When they saw the three who had entered, all of them got up and ran to greet them.

"Captain!" Ikkaku and Yumichika yelled.

"Hi baldy and bowl-cut!" Yachiru exclaimed. The two of them disliked the nicknames she gave.

"So, you're all that's left of the male Gotei 13 officers?" Kenpachi asked.

"Yeah, the rest either perished during the explosion or turned traitor," a blonde haired man replied. Ishida didn't recognize him, nor a jumpsuit wearing man with a spiky afro, or the silver-haired punk dude sitting beside him. A giant pink-haired man wearing a green tuxedo was also unfamiliar to him. He did recognize Tessai, the big moustached servant who worked at the old Urahara Shoten, but he wondered what he was doing here.

"I'm glad you people came and freed us," Tessai said. "We've been living in this squalid dump for the last four years. Although I must say, the decision me, Rose, Love and Kensei made in surrendering was far better off than all of us getting executed."

"I'm glad you guys made that decision," Kenpachi smiled. "You wouldn't be able to fight back if you all got killed. There is one question though; where are the female officers?"

"Oh, Mashiro, Lisa, Hiyori and the other female officers are being held in the Tower of Penitence," the silver-haired man replied.

"That's nice to know. Rukia and Abarai should have rescued them by now" Ishida said. The three unknown men and Tessai all looked at him.

"Ah, you must be Uryu, the Quincy that Urahara told me all about," Tessai commented. "It's a strange but pleasant surprise that you've decided to help us."

"Thanks for the compliment, but where is Urahara?" Ishida asked. The four of them looked at each other and paused, not knowing what to say. The silver-haired man was the first to respond.

"Urahara ditched us just as Aizen and his stooges showed up in the centre of Karakura Town. We don't know where he went, but his shock defection was an important reason why Aizen ended up winning in the first place. If he was still around, we could have prevented Karakura Town from falling." Ishida was speechless. He couldn't believe that Urahara would do something like this.

"We can save the explanations for later," Kenpachi said. "What do you boys think about getting out of his dump and kicking some ass?" All of them nodded excitedly. Luckily, their Zanpaktos had been stashed away inside the chamber. After the imprisoned officers had picked up their swords, as a group they charged out of the chamber and ran up the stairs.

* * *

Rukia turned around when she noticed Renji climbing up the stairs to the bridge. He was panting heavily, and he was bleeding all over.

"Renji, are you okay?" Rukia asked. She placed her hands on his chest.

"I'm alright. I've suffered worse injuries before," Renji replied. He noticed the body of Hinamori lying against the door of the tower. "Hey, that's Momo! What happened here? Did she and you have a fight?" Rukia nodded. Renji didn't bother asking for details. The two of them walked up to the door. Rukia tried opening it but realized it was locked.

"Stand back, let me open it," Renji said. He drew out his sword and smashed it against the door. After a big explosion the door toppled over. Rukia and Renji peered inside. To their surprise, the prisoners they saw were all women. Not only that, most of the women were people Rukia recognized. Three of them, Mashiro, Hiyori and Lisa, were part of the Vizards who she had met briefly shortly after the Second Arrancar Invasion four years ago. The two others that were familiar were Nanao, Kyoraku's Vice Captain, and her former division comrade Kiyone. When the five of them realized who had broken in, all of them except Nanao rushed up to greet Rukia and Renji.

"Rukia-chan!" Kiyone exclaimed, hugging her tightly. "I've missed you so much! It's a miracle that you're still alive!"

"I missed you too Kiyone," Rukia said.

"So the two of you came here from the real world to save us?" Hiyori asked. Rukia and Renji nodded.

"Are you girls the only female officers who survived?" Renji asked.

"We are. The others either died during the war or turned traitor," Lisa replied.

"Speaking of traitors, I bumped into Hinamori on the way here…" Rukia said hesitantly. "She's at the doorway." The girls tried going outside to look, but upon stepping out of the entrance way they suddenly fell over.

"Crap, I forgot about how much these walls sucked our reiatsu," Hiyori gritted her teeth. Rukia and Renji helped them to their feet.

"It'll take a while before you get used to being outside again," Renji said. "In the meantime, this place is no longer safe. Those royal guards may be here at any moment. We'd better hide in a concealed room until you all of you recover."

"No need to worry," Lisa said. "Hiyori, Mashiro and myself can recover our spirit energy quickly. We need to meet up with the other Vizards as soon as possible. You and Rukia can take Nanao, Hinamori and Kiyone to a safe place." Rukia and Renji nodded.

'There's something that's bugging me though," Rukia said. "What's wrong with Nanao? Isn't she going to come out?" Lisa, Hiyori and Mashiro looked at each other and sighed.

"Well, you see, Nanao-chan has been in a deep depression these last four years," Mashiro explained. "The loss of her captain hit her hard. Lisa, who was Kyoraku's former subordinate, tried consoling Nanao, but it never worked." Upon hearing this, Rukia realized that Nanao had been in the same situation as Hinamori did. Once she and Renji had helped Nanao, Hinamori and Kiyone find a place to hide, the three Vizard girls returned to the tower to get their Zanpaktos. Once that was done, the five of them including Rukia and Renji decided to split up and find their other comrades.

* * *

All over Seireitei, the alarm bells were ringing. Hundreds of Tengu and Oni guards were scrambling around the alleyways in confusion, most trying to flee from former members of the Gotei 13 who were trying to cut them down. News that the seven intruders who had broken in a few hours ago had succeeded in killing three of the royal guards and had broken the Captains and other officers from their prison cells spread quickly. As Ishida, Kenpachi, the other 11th division members, the Vizards and Tessai escaped out of the 2nd division barracks, they saw general signs that an uprising was occurring throughout the entire city.

"Looks like the whole of Soul Society is in rebellion now," Ishida commented.

"Yeah, things are going to get interesting," Kenpachi said. "Ikkaku, Yumichika, let's go find our division members."

"Yes, Captain!" Ikkaku and Yumichika both agreed enthusiastically. Ishida watched them Shunpo off in another direction. He decided he was going to find Rukia and Renji and so he separated from Tessai and the Vizards. Just as Ishida disappeared over the horizon, Tessai, Kensei, Rose, Love and Hachigen all agreed to split up to hunt down the remaining royal guards.

* * *

Muguruma Kensei headed towards the 9th division barracks. Although he had been in exile for more than a century, and was now wearing ordinary street clothes, his loyalty to the division he had served as a captain was still strong. Seeing the unconscious body of Hisagi Shuhei, the boy he had befriended in Rukongai, caused him to remember the fateful days when his loyal bodyguard Tousen had betrayed him and he himself was turned into a mindless hollow. Kensei shuddered and tried hard to suppress those memories. Just as he was lost in thought, a large body landed on top of his shoulders.

"Yoohoo! Kensei!" The voice of Kuna Mashiro shouted into Kensei's ear.

"Mashiro! What are you doing here?" Kensei asked.

"Why I'm helping you of course! We haven't seen each other for four years!"

"I'd rather wish our reunion happened elsewhere." Before Kensei or Mashiro could speak anymore, they were almost struck by a lightning bolt from afar. Kensei skidded to a halt and Mashiro jumped off his back. They both turned around to see where the lightning bolt had come from. It turned out to be a little kid with spiky yellow hair. He was sitting on the roof of a building two stories above.

"Who are you?" Kensei asked, drawing out his sword.

"I'm Ajisuke," the boy answered, hopping down from the roof. "Nice to meet you."

"Ooh, you sure are cute, let me hug you!" Mashiro giggled. She tried wrapping her arms around him, but was in a nasty surprise when she received a massive jolt of electricity through her body.

"I don't like grown ups touching me," Ajisuke said. He showed Kensei his Zanpakto, a shining javelin that was crackling with electricity.

"This is my Zanpakto, Tenba. It has an unpredictable temperament. Right now, it wants to kill you." With that Ajisuke threw his javelin at Kensei spearing him in the shoulder. Kensei grimaced in pain as the javelin instantly returned to Ajisuke's right hand.

"If that's the way you want to play it, then fine," Kensei said, "Blow, Tachikaze!" His Zanpakto turned into a combat knife, instantly hurling a blast of energy at Ajisuke's face. Ajisuke emerged with his face burnt all over, seething in rage.

* * *

Sarugaki Hiyori wasn't really renowned for jumping through trees, as her name would suggest, but now, she had no choice but to do so as she navigated her way through the large forest surrounding the base of the Sokyoku hill. Just then she sensed a spiritual presence come up from behind her. She turned around and realized who it was.

"Love!" Hiyori shouted, seeing the afro man in the green jumpsuit.

"Hey, Hiyori! What's up?" Love asked.

"Nothing much, although it was absolute hell staying in that tower.

"Yeah, that's true. Living underground in the Maggot's Nest isn't much fun either." Their light conversation was interrupted when a huge clump of leaves suddenly blew in their faces. Hiyori covered her eyes, but she actually felt pain as the gale passed through her. She opened her eyes again and noticed she had been cut in several places.

"What the hell? I've been cut by leaves!" she exclaimed.

"Me too. It must be the power of someone else's Zanpakto," Love said, scanning around the area. Another gust of leaves blew in their direction. They managed to jump out of the way. Looking to see where the source of the attacks had come from, they spotted a weary looking man in a strange looking Shinigami robe, wielding a huge rake.

"No trespassers allowed to step into this forest and disturb the leaves," he said.

"What the hell? Who are you to be saying such a dumb thing?" Hiyori asked. The man pointed his rake at her.

"I am Hamori, guardian of this forest, and the prison warden. It's a pain in the ass having to hunt down all of the prison escapees, so I'll just kill the two of you instead, with my Zanpakto, Hayashi Seishou."

"Are you a royal guard?" Love asked. When Hamori nodded, Love and Hiyori whispered to each other. Then both of them pulled out their swords.

"Since you are a royal guard, I guess we have no choice but to defeat you," Hiyori sighed, "Grow, Nyoibo!" Her sword was engulfed by a miniature whirlpool. It grew and changed shape until it emerged as a five foot long staff painted entirely in red, with golden highlights at both ends. Seeing Hiyori release her sword made Love do the same.

"Pounce, Kurohyou!" he shouted. The sword that was in his right hands disintegrated and yellow gloves with sharp claws at the end grew around both of his hands. When he had finished releasing, it almost seemed like Love had a pair of boxing gloves on.

* * *

Yadomaru Lisa headed towards the 8th division barracks. Though she had been exiled from Soul Society for more than a century, she still had a deep sense of loyalty for her former division, and to her deceased Captain. Shunsui and her had shared a different sort of relationship compared to the one Nanao had with her captain. Lisa's was more of the sexual kind; they had been lovers for centuries, and tragically for Lisa, the baby she had conceived during a night-long lovemaking session with her captain died when she was transformed into a Vizard. She had always regretted not having the chance of saying sorry to Shunsui one last time before he died, and visiting her former captain's quarters felt like a way to make up for that.

"Hey, what's wrong Lisa? You look kind of down," Rose said as he suddenly appeared beside her. Lisa tried hard not to blush. Rose, whose real name was Otoribashi Rojuro, had succeeded in wooing her many times. He was so handsome that even a bisexual whore like Lisa found it hard to resist.

"I was just thinking about my captain," Lisa replied.

"Oh yeah, Shunsui huh? I must say I never knew him very well, but I respected him a lot," Rose said. Their conversation was cut short when they smelt the scent of perfume in the air. Lisa and Rose turned around saw where the source of the perfume came from. It was a stunningly beautiful black haired woman. She had a loose fitting purple dress that revealed ample cleavage. Her entire appearance screamed sex appeal. As soon as he saw her Rose started to swoon.

"Rose, what are you doing?" Lisa asked.

"He's fallen under my Zanpakto, Murasaki Hane ," the woman said. "I'm Uzume of the royal guard, nice to meet you." She raised her sword up and waited for Rose to approach her. _Damn, I have to do something_, Lisa thought. She decided to release her Zanpakto.

"Dominate, Sureibu Okami!" Lisa shouted. Her sword turned into a long black rope. She extended the rope to wrap Uzume with it, and pulled the royal guard towards her.

"Urgh, what are you doing?" Uzume asked as her breasts touched Lisa's breasts.

"Instead of playing with the man, why don't you play with me?" Lisa asked. Uzume gave her a hiss that looked like a cross between terror and disgust.

* * *

Tessai ran through the forest on top of the Sokyoku hill, followed closely by Hachigen. Tessai had been the Captain of the now-defunct Kido Corps, with Hachi being his Vice Captain. Though both of them had their Zanpaktos, they were far more proficient at Kidou. As they exited the forest and arrived at the open area next to the former execution stand, they were confronted by a powerful gust of wind. Tessai looked up and saw someone floating in the sky. It slowly resolved into the figure of an old man, wrapped up in a swirl of air current.

"Who are you?" Tessai asked. All of a sudden he was cut in the right cheek.

"I am Futen, the Head of the Royal Guards stationed in Soul Society," the old man replied. "Aizen has told me about all you, former head of the Kidou Corps, Tsukabishi Tessai, as well as your subordinate, the Vizard Ushoda Hachigen. It's a darn shame that the two of you decided to rebel against Aizen's orders, when you could have lived longer by staying in put that prison." Futen pointed his sword at them and a tremendous blast of air shot out of the blade.

"With my Zanpakto, Kamikaze, I shall reduce both of you dust," Tessai and Hachi whispered to each other, before both of them channeled spirit energy into their hands.

"Don't talk so big, Futen of the Elementals," Tessai said. "Even the mightiest sword can be defeated by a skilled Kidou master." Futen remained emotionless.

"We'll see about that!" He fired another blast of wind them, as Tessai and Hachigen both fired chantless Souren Soukatsui spells at him.

* * *

Oblivious to the chaos that was going on inside Seireitei, Ichigo and Jidanbo arrived at the Western Seireimon Gate. The gate had been the scene of Ichigo's first and only battle with Jidanbo, which resulted in the giant half-lifting up the gate, only to have his left amputated by Ichimaru Gin, who had been under orders from Aizen to force Ichigo to use Kukaku Shiba's flower crane cannon.

"Alright Jidanbo, this is your moment," Ichigo said as he leaped off Jidanbo's back.

"Here we go!" Jidanbo exclaimed. The giant beat his chest twice before his fingers grasped the underside of the walls. With a giant heave, he started to lift the gate up. Ichigo watched as the gate slowly rose in to the air, grinding against the rest of the wall as it did so. By the time it was half-way up, there was enough space for Ichigo to get through.

"Hey Jidanbo, you can stop lifting the gate," Ichigo said. "I'll manage fine by myself now." He ran through the gate, stopping just on the other side.

"Okay, see you later Ichigo. I'll go back and help Ganju tend to your friend," Jidanbo waved Ichigo goodbye as he let go to the gate. As Jidanbo disappeared from view, Ichigo turned around and noticed a horde of at least thirty strangely clad enemies with spears had surrounded him.

"State your purpose, intruder!" one of the enemies grunted. "Or else we Tengu shall cut you down!" Ichigo simply sighed as he unsheathed Zangetsu and Shunpo-ed into the middle of the squad of these Tengu soldiers. He started spinning the blade, charging up Chouseki Hadou.

"I don't know what you guys are, but I don't have time to play with you," Ichigo said. As soon as he finished charging, he grabbed the tassel wrap of his sword and spun Zangetsu around him several times. After he sheathed his sword, all of the Tengu guards collapsed to the ground, bleeding from massive sword cuts. Ichigo examined the bodies once before he started running towards the Senzaikyu.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Ichigo and his friends, as well as nearly everyone else in Soul Society, the forces that Aizen had sent to attack the real world were on the move. In the city of Tokyo, it was the middle of the night. Half the city was already asleep; only Shinjuku, the busiest district in the city, was still brightly lit. Few of the people who were awake at the moment sensed the massive disturbance in the air as the skies over Shinjuku were suddenly torn open. Those who did were already in a position to respond…

Kuchiki Byakuya sensed the appearance of several massive spiritual pressures as he was busy finishing up some memos. He instantly pressed his personal call buzzer. A few minutes later, Rikichi, his division 3rd Seat and Senior Director of Sakura Corporation, came rushing through the doors.

"Yes, Kuchiki-sama, what is it?" he asked as he knelt on the floor.

"Rikichi, contact all of our Division members, whether they are off duty or on duty," Byakuya said. "Tell them to get out of their gigais and secure a five-perimeter around Sakura Corporation's premises. Then they should prepare for battle. We may be facing an assault by multiple enemies."

"What orders do you want me to give their mod souls?"

"Just order them to remain calm, and assume everything is normal. There's no need to cause the employees of the corporation who aren't Shinigamis to panic.

"I understand, Kuchiki-sama. I will execute these orders right away." Rikichi ran out of the room. Byakuya then got up and ate a Gikongan. He assumed his Shinigami form and directed his mod soul to finish off the remaining memos. He then walked over to the one part of his office that was kept shut at all times. He opened it with his special key. Inside was a shrine to his departed wife Hisana, his captain's cloak, his personal white scarf, and his Zanpakto, Senbonzakura. He placed on his cloak and scarf and attached his sword and hilt to his belt. Then he opened one of the windows and Shunpo-ed out of the building.

In a small private medical clinic on the other side of Shinjuku, the Kurosaki family was busy watching late night television. It was a B-grade monster movie and Isshin, Karin, Yuzu, Kon in Ichigo's body, and Chappy in Rukia's gigai had gathered around the couch and were eating popcorn. Suddenly though they felt a tremendous about of reiatsu suddenly appear of nowhere, causing vibrations on the floor.

"What the hell is that?" Karin asked.

"Is it an earthquake?" Yuzu and Chappy gasped. Unlike the girls, Kon and Isshin knew immediately what it was.

"My gosh, there's like a dozen powerful spiritual pressures…it sounds like another Arrancar attack," Kon said, He looked at Isshin, who rose from the chair. He then did something which was totally unexpected.

"Kon, can you watch over the house? I'll be going out for a while," Isshin said. "Make sure you take good care of Karin and Yuzu. And Rukia's gigai as well." Kon didn't need to ask an questions; he knew what Isshin was going to do. He nodded as he watched the elder Kurosaki walk out of the house. Karin and Yuzu tried to run after him but Kon deliberately held them back.

"Let us go Ichigo! Where is Ojii-san going?" Yuzu asked.

"I keep telling you he's not Ichigo!" Karin yelled. "And we want to know what goat-face is doing!" Kon used all of his strength to bar the front door, despite receiving several powerful kicks from Karin in the face, and once in the crotch.

"Don't worry about your father, he's out to save the city," Kon said.

Kurotsuchi Mayuri had of course, detected the incoming intrusion of spiritual pressures long before the sky had even be torn. He even knew what it was; a group of powerful hollows, led by one or two Shinigami. He sent a direct message to all of his former Research and Development lab assistants to secure the area around Tokyo University. Then he grabbed his Zanpakto.

"Come, Nemu," he kicked his Vice Captain in the buttocks. "We're going to gather some experiments."

The gang at the Red Dog Shoten was in the middle of a big drinking party when they felt the immense spiritual pressure coming down on top of them.

"What the hell is that?" Hitsugaya asked.

"That signature…it feels like a hollow," Soifon said.

"We'd better get into our Shinigami forms and mobilize our forces," Yoruichi ordered. This could be the start of Aizen's counter-assault." Hitsugaya and Soifon nodded.

"Matsumoto, contact all of our division members and tell them to secure a five mile perimeter around this store," Hitsugaya told his Vice Captain as he ate a Gikongan. Yoruichi, Soifon, and Matsumoto did the same. They instructed their mod souls to stay in their gigais as the four Shinigami officers exited the Red Dog Shoten and split into two groups, and headed towards their divisions' area of operations.

Unohana Retsu and her Vice Captain Kotetsu Isane were in the middle of treating a patient when they felt the spiritual pressures in the sky. A few minutes later, their division's 3rd seat, the former 7th Seat Yamada Hanataro, burst into the ward the two women were working in.

"Captain, Vice Captain, have you sensed the reiatsu above us?" Hanataro asked.

"Yes we have, Yamada-san," Unohana said. "Isane, go and accompany Hanataro and call out all of our division members who are working undercover to leave their gigais and form a five-mile perimeter around the hospital.

"What about you, Captain Unohana?" Isane asked.

"I will go out and deal with the threat myself," Unohana said. She popped a Gikongan into her mouth and entered her Shinigami form. She then directed her mod soul to continue looking after the patient. Isane and Hanataro accompanied her out of the ward, before Unohana left them and headed towards the hospital entrance.

The last person to sense the presence of the spiritual pressures in the sky was Ishida Ryuken, Uryu's father. He was working overtime filling out documents on several patients he had treated when he felt the tear in the skies above. Years before, he would have left everything to the Shinigami to handle, and not even bothered to get involved. Things were different now. After seeing his son's determination to get stronger and protect the innocent people, Ryuken couldn't help but follow the same path. In a city as large as Tokyo, the spirits weren't the ones that were in danger of getting killed. Living humans were also potential victims, and for most of his life, Ryuken had devoted himself to saving those who were still alive.

"The time for action has come," he said to himself as he put down his pen. He got up from his chair and grabbed the Quincy cross that hung from the wall, placing it around his wrist. He exited his medical practice and locked the front doors, before setting off into the sky at superhuman speed.

All six of the groups who had mobilized in response to the threat quickly took to the skies over Shinjuku. In no time they were face to face with their opponents. Byakuya was confronted with a hollow that looked like the grim reaper. Isshin narrowly dodged a lightning bolt fired by a strange looking Shinigami. Mayuri and Nemu watched in curiosity as a hollow advanced up a street towards them. Both Yoruichi and Soifon and Hitsugaya and Matsumoto were stopped in their tracks by hollows who were hovering in mid-air. Unohana, who was flying on Minazuki, was almost knocked over by a series of flying knives. Finally Ryuken narrowly dodged a hollow that leaped at him as he rode on his Hirenkyaku hover board. On the ground, the regular Shinigami of the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 10th divisions scrambled to establish perimeters around the Shinjuku area, as minor hollows of various shapes and sizes started streaming out of the hole in the sky.

* * *

The Rebellion in the Soul Society has begun! The Vizards and Tessai face off against the remaining royal guards in a battle that will decide the fate of Soul Society. And what's this? Tokyo has been invaded by an army of hollows? The remaining SS captains, Isshin and Ryuken are now battling to save the real world. In both Soul Society and the real world, good and evil now fight for dominance.

Notes: This was an extremely hard chapter to write. There were so many different characters and scenes to keep track of that I had to take a day off to do something heavy thinking. Extensive research was also required to come up with new Zanpakto names. You may notice that the Vizards have all been given original Zanpakto names, as Iite Kubo hasn't shown them in any extensive battle yet.

Here are the names of the shikais mentioned in this chapter:

Tenba: Japanese name for Pegasus. Ajisuke's Zanpakto, which turns into a lightning filled Javelin that can be thrown and instantly returned to his hand.

Tachizake: Kensei's Zanpakto, the only one of the Vizards' Shikais to be shown in the manga so far. The command is Blow.

Hayashi Seishou: Hamori's Zanpakto. Means Forest Spirit in Japanese. Takes the form of a rake that can summon huge gusts of leaves.

Nyoibo: Hiyori's Zanpakto. Obviously inspired by the same weapon owned by Son Goku in Dragonball. Has the command release Grow. Like Dragonball's Nyoibo, it can expand or shrink to any size depending on Hiyori's will.

Kurohyou: Love's Zanpakto, Japanese for Panther. Has the command release Pounce. In its Shikai form the blade turns into two claw-like gloves.

Murasaki Hane: Uzume's Zanpakto. Japanese for Violet Plume. Has the power to spread an intoxicating pollen over a wide area.

Sureibu Okami: Lisa's Zanpakto. Japanese for Slave Mistress. Has the release command Dominate. In its Shikai form it turns into a black belt-like rope that be extended outwards to wrap up opponents.

Kamikaze: Futen's Zanpakto. Japanese for God wind. Take the shape of a normal sword, but wraps Futen in a swirling cloud of wind and is able to fire air blasts at enemies.

Thanks for all of the reviews so far, and keep them coming! I've loved the comments you've made about my story. Some were very helpful and will be used to plan out future chapters.


	14. Chapter 14: Heralds of the Apocalpyse

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida and the members of the 11th division have stormed the gates of Soul Society. With Ichigo having stayed behind to deal with Sado, the rest broke into the Maggot's Nest and the Tower of Penitence, freeing the imprisoned officers of the Gotei 13, including the Vizards, Tessai, and other Vice Captains. With the majority of the officers free at last, the Shinigami still loyal to the Gotei 13 rose up in rebellion, and a general uprising to overthrow Aizen's puppet regime. The Vizards and Tessai matched up against the four remaining Royal Guards in the final battle for Soul Society. Aizen however, had one more card to play. The strike force sent to destroy the real world arrived over the skies of Tokyo. The forces of the Gotei 13 mobilized for battle. Byakuya, Mayuri, Soifon, Yoruichi, Unohana, Histugaya, Matsumoto, Isshin and even Ryuken are now locked in a life or death struggle to save the city...

* * *

Chapter 14: Heralds of the Apocalypse

Byakuya hovered high above the skies of Shinjuku, looking down at the skyscrapers of the Sakura Corporation. He then stared at the enemy that had suddenly appeared in front of him. He appeared to be strange Gillian hollow, wearing a dark black robe, with his face covered by a hood. Apart from bone white hands and feet and a giant reaper-like scythe, he had no other distinguishing features. Yet something was strange about his spiritual pressure; it was impossibly high, perhaps even higher than Byakuya's own spiritual pressure. He wondered if the hollow was actually an example of a Vasto Lorde. He tentatively unsheathed his sword and placed himself in a guard position.

"Who are you?" Byakuya.

"I? I am Meurte, The Horseman of Death! One of the four heralds of the apocalypse decreed by the God himself, Aizen Sousuke!" the hollow croaked in a nasally and hoarse voice.

"Are you a Vasto Lorde, or an Arrancar?"

"I am both! I was created with the perfect Hogyoku! Aizen-sama has sent us to terminate all enemies that oppose him, and you…" he pointed a finger at Byakuya "…are the first on my list!" In a flash he disappeared from Byakuya's sight, an act of Sonido. Byakuya quickly turned around and blocked the hollow's downward strike with his blade.

"I see. You hollows have gone so far as to claim the reaper status of us Shinigami," Byakuya said. "How arrogant." He pointed his left finger at Meurte's hood and said "Hadou no. 4, Byakurai." As soon as he fired the blast, the hollow Sonidoed again, this time disappearing completely from sight. Byakuya couldn't even sense him now. He swiveled on the spot, scanning everywhere for even a sign of Meurte. To heighten his defence, he released his Zanpakto, and commanded Senbonzakura to scour the skies.

He was not prepared then, for Meurte to appear again _right_ in front of him. Without enough time to call back his Shikai, Byakuya was slashed across the chest. He avoided a deep cut by narrowly dodging to the side. Nevertheless, the slash was enough to make him lose copious amounts of blood.

"Sorry for taking away your boast, but you Shinigami are no longer sanctioned by God to take souls," Meurte cackled. "That means you have no reason for existing!"

Byakuya tried to ignore the pain and keep a straight face. He had never faced a battle as tough as this before. His opponent's speed and movements far outclassed his own. If he was to even have a chance at winning, he had to go all out from the beginning.

"You say we have no reason for existing, yet the purpose of our lives do not revolve around our duties as reapers," Byakuya said. "Unlike you hollows, our reasons for living are far more complex." He slowly let go of his sword, saying "Bankai" as he did so. The sword magically disappeared and in its place a thousand more swords rose out of nowhere. Byakuya then forcefully said the words "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi", causing the thousand swords to scatter into millions upon millions of pinkish blades. Using his hands he directed the swarm of petals at Meurte. Yet even with the increased speed and control that controlling his Bankai by hand provided, the hollow was still too fast. He easily evaded the blades and flew at Byakuya again. Byakuya was forced to make a last minute Shunpo, temporarily losing control of his Bankai in the process.

"You disappoint me Shinigami! Is this all your Bankai can do?" Meurte asked as he swooped in on a frantically swaying Byakuya. "Those pretty pink blades are far too slow to catch me!" He was technically correct. Byakuya failed to catch Ichigo with his Bankai during their epic clash, and this Vasto Lorde hollow was moving at many times Ichigo's speed. Byakuya himself had never been the fastest Shinigami; that title was reserved for Shihounin Yoruichi, who had always beaten him at tag when they were young. Right now, he wondered if even Yoruichi would be able to keep up with the hollow's speed.

Just as Meurte was about to attack him again, Byakuya quickly pointed his left finger at his waist and shouted "Bakudo no. 61, Rikujokorou!" The chantless Bakudou move succeeded in immobilizing the hollow with the trademark six rods. Byakuya used the chance to surround Muerte entirely with Senbonzakura, enveloping the hollow with millions of blades. He then collapsed all of the blades into a sphere, compressing his Bankai to a point where there was no feasible means of escape.

"Gokei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya said. He maintained the sphere of blades for a whole minute before dissipating his Bankai again. To his utter shock, Meurte wasn't visible. Byakuya hastily tried to erect a barrier around himself, but before he could finish it, he was slashed hard in the back by the scythe. The force of the blow was so hard that Byakuya spewed a torrent of blood from his mouth. It took all of his willpower to prevent himself from falling out of the sky. He stared at the hollow, still unable to comprehend how he had been able to escape from the Gokei. Meurte had an evil grin on his face.

"From the look of your face I'd say you're wondering how could I have escaped that all encompassing attack," Meurte explained. "The simple answer is, that the Bakudou you placed on me was so weak that I was able to break out of it in a second. Then I used my ability, Obscuridad, to create a shadow ghost of myself and switched places with it. Finally I completely suppressed me reiatsu so that you wouldn't notice where I was." After hearing Meurte's explanation, Byakuya shivered. He was terrified at how intelligent this hollow was. The ability to plan out a strategy like that was beyond the ability even most of the captains, let alone a menos. _So this is what it's like to face a Vasto Lorde._

"I must commend you for being to escape my Gokei, Arrancar," Byakuya said. "No enemy had ever succeeded in escaping from it up to now. But I this time I shall hit you with everything I have. Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." The millions of blade petals suddenly dispersed themselves into a large gust of wind, and then glowing pink swords started appearing in the sky. They formed a mile wide circle around Byakuya, and eventually there were over a thousand swords made out of petals, separated into three rows. Meurte was taken aback at the entire scene, but then the demonic face under his hood grinned evilly.

"Come on, show me all of your power," he gloated. "I'll crush it, and then I'll have the pleasure of tearing you apart at the peak of your power." Byakuya didn't respond; instead he raised his right hand. One of the swords descended down and solidified itself in his hand. With a movement of his left hand, he flipped up more than a hundred swords and directed them at Meurte. The Vasto Lorde leaped aside but the blades kept on following him. With his left hand controlling everything like a master conductor, Byakuya kept Meurte locked in an endless goose chase. To heighten the pressure, he mentally flipped up another hundred swords and sent them at Meurte in the opposite direction. This caught the hollow completely by surprise. He didn't enough time to escape the enclosing pincers and was impaled by all two hundred of the blades. Byakuya heard him screech in pain as he felt Meurte's reiatsu plummet.

"It's over, Vasto Lorde," Byakuya said as he walked towards Meurte.

"Heh, heh, that's what you think," Meurte snickered. Before Byakuya could react, Meurte blasted a plume of black smoke right into his face. Byakuya tried covering his nose, mouth and eyes, but it was too late. Some of the smoke got into his throat, and all of a sudden he felt a sharp pain in his chest. _Damn it! I can't be having a heart attack!_

"Ha, ha, you're starting to feel the effects of my Black Wind!" Meurte laughed madly. "One cubic meter has enough poison gas to kill you within ten minutes! Too bad Shinigami. I'll still live and you will die!" With a horrible yell he shattered all two hundred swords that had impaled him. Byakuya watched on in despair; even with his Senkei at full power he had failed to kill his opponent. He was running out of options fast. Then he recalled something his grandfather Kuchiki Ginrei had told him: _"Remember Byakuya-chan, although recklessness usually ends up getting you into dangerous situations, sometimes in a life or death struggle, recklessness is all that stands in the way between a narrow victory and an utter defeat…"_ It was shortly after that speech that Byakuya had controlled the violent aggressiveness of his youth and became the stoic person that he was today. Now though, he had no choice but to call forth the recklessness he had suppressed so long. His brain started to formulate a plan, a reckless plan which had only a small margin of success, but one which guaranteed him his best chance at victory. Before Meurte realized what was going on, Byakuya summoned back all of his swords and concentrated them into one all powerful sword. Two shining wings attached themselves to his shoulders and his sword tip flared outward into a brilliant white dragon.

"Shukei, Hakuteiken," Byakuya said. Meurte was amazed at the scene, and licked his lips fiendishly, waiting for the inevitable final attack. Byakuya flew towards him as if making a final attack, but then surprised the hollow at the last moment by descending towards the ground.

"Why you coward! You shall pay for tricking me like that!" Meurte screamed and chased after Byakuya, who looked with the former of his eye. _Yes he's following me_. He flew as fast he could towards the twin towers of Sakura Corporation. As he did so, he whispered the incantation of Bakudou 99. He was taking no chances. He finish the incantation as he passed through the two buildings. As soon as Meurte was about to pass through the buildings Byakuya swiftly turned around and shouted, "Bakudou 99, Kin!" Two gigantic black robes appeared out of nowhere and wrapped themselves around Meurte. The hollow screeched an inhuman yell as he was bounded tightly against the twin towers. He struggled to break free, but this time the bonds were far too strong. Byakuya seized the moment and flew straight at Muerte. The hollow had one final chance to stare at his own death before Byakuya stabbed his sword right through Meurte's hood. Meurte gave one final inhuman shriek before his body started dissipating. Within seconds he was gone, and Bakudou 99 also disappeared.

Byakuya's Zanpakto returned to its sealed state, and he himself descended slowly towards the ground. As he landed on the ground, he felt the pain in his chest again and spewed a torrent of blood from his mouth. He hobbled along the street, blood dripping down his body with every step he took. It had been a close call. The battle had been the toughest Byakuya had ever fought. He wondered if he would be able to even survive long enough to get back. His vision was now getting murky; he could barely walk at all. As he reached the front doors of the Sakura Corporation's main office, he collapsed onto his chest and blackened out…

* * *

Kurosaki Isshin had stepped out of his house and his body a mere ten minutes before he was confronted by someone he had never expected to see. Standing in front of was a man clad entirely in golden armour. His yellow eyes flickered brightly and his silvery yellowish hair flowed from beneath his helmet. His entire body was crackling with electricity. Just staring at him invoked images of a past Isshin had long left behind.

"Well, well, this sure brings back memories," Isshin said. "Since when were you authorized to come down to the real world, God of Lightning, Raiden?"

"That isn't a question you should be asking, former Royal Guard, Shiba Isshin," Raiden smirked.

"You still remember me after all. But I must point out one thing; I'm not a Shiba anymore. I call myself Kurosaki Isshin now."

"Whatever you call yourself, your identity and your crime remains the same," Raiden unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Isshin. "For deliberately causing the death of the Royal Princess Amaterasu and for mating with a human, you are sentenced to death by my hand." Isshin couldn't help but laugh. He had no idea that those in the King's realm would still remember the initial reasons behind his banishment, nor actually find out his relationship with Masaki. He unsheathed his sword and held it by his side.

"I find it funny that you should be accusing me of crimes that I didn't commit, when you yourself are guilty of supporting an usurper to the throne," Isshin said. "Since when did you join forces with Aizen?"

"How dare you call his Majesty an usurper! He's the rightful claimant to the throne. The old king was weak and cowardly. With a new king ruling over us, we shall bring in a new age of peace throughout Soul Society!" Raiden suddenly charged at Isshin and slashed downwards with both hands gripping his sword. Isshin deftly blocked it with his sword. He then stared into Raiden's eyes.

"An age of peace? You've got to be joking. Aizen was responsible for bringing about the darkest period that Soul Society has ever faced!! Your former comrades, Kyoraku, Ukitake and your former superior, old man Yama, all of them fell at his hands!" Isshin shouted. He pushed aside Raiden's sword and then swiftly slashed across his chest. Raiden flinched back as blood spurted out his mouth and chest. He recovered and stared at Isshin again. This time his eyes were a bloodshot red.

"Do you think I cared about them?" Raiden asked. "I, who was forced against my will, to be sent to the King's Realm forced to spend an eternity as a Royal Guard? I, who could have lived a happy life in Soul Society, was betrayed by those comrades you mentioned? Why would I care if they dead! That makes me feel all the happier!" Isshin listened to his maniacal laugh and sighed in regret.

"Raiden, you are no longer the man I once knew," he said.

"Neither are you," Raiden hissed back. "Strike down from heaven, Raiju!" His Zanpakto transformed into a shining golden sword that crackled with lightning. It was etched with ancient runes along both sides of the blade. Isshin noticed that the skies above were now completely overcast, with dark thunderclouds starting to gather in the air immediately above.

"It's a sight to behold isn't it, Isshin? This is the second time you and I have fought. The first time, I utterly defeated you with Raiju," Raiden gloated. "And this time, I shall defeat you again!" Isshin jumped out of the way just as a lightning bolt struck the ground he had been standing on. He didn't anticipate a second lightning bolt, striking at him as he was still in mid-air. Isshin grimaced in pain as ten thousand volts of electricity surged through his body. He fell onto his elbows and knees, his body already singed from the strike. He breathed deeply for a few seconds before getting up again.

"I have to hand it to you, you're skills are as sharp as ever," Isshin said. "But, don't forget, our previous battle was over thirty years ago, and I have sharpened my skills since then. You remember my Zanpakto do you, Raiden? Dig, Shukaku!" The blade on his sword disappeared and was replaced with flowing stream of sand particles. They dispersed to form a barrier around Isshin. Raiden fired another lightning bolt at him. It smashed into the sand barrier and completely dissipated. Isshin then directed the particles of sand to wrap around Raiden's left arm. He then solidified the particles into hard rock. Raiden screamed as he felt his entire arm snap in half. He landed on the ground and let go his sword for a moment to grasp his left arm, now hanging loosely by his side. Isshin gathered up the sand particles into one complete sword again.

"Remember the first time we fought? My Zanpakto completely cancelled out your Zanpakto's effect. Earth beats lightning, simple as that," Isshin said.

"I'm not amused by your word play, Isshin," Raiden croaked as he picked up his sword again. "For breaking my left arm, you shall receive an eternity of torment, BANKAI!" All of a sudden the sky was ripped open and a gigantic object made entirely out of lightning descended towards the ground. It resembled a weasel of some sort, and it had glowing red eyes. Raiden jumped onto the creature's back and seemingly merged with it.

"It brings back memories doesn't it?" Raiden asked Isshin. "Do you remember facing my Bankai, Shinzui no denkou Raiju? You were horribly beaten by it. Here's something to refresh your memory!" The lightning weasel's mouth opened and an enormous column of lightning shot out of it. As soon as it touched the thunder clouds overhead, it split into thousands of individual lightning bolts that struck at random targets. Isshin easily avoided the bolts that struck close to him but all of a sudden he felt a lightning bolt strike at the family home. _No! Yuzu! Karin! Kon!_ _Damn, I can't afford to waste time fighting here_.

"You look nervous. Perhaps one of the lightning bolts struck some of your loved ones?" Raiden asked maniacally. "It would be awfully negligent if you failed to rescue them in time."

"I have no time to be fighting you. Saving my family's life is more important than settling an old grudge," Isshin said. "Despite the fact you serve Aizen now, I still don't bear you any enmity." He started to Shunpo off back home. Raiden however wasn't about to let Isshin escape so easily. He directed Raiju to chase after him. Isshin was caught off guard when he was slashed hard in the back. More than a hundred thousand volts of electricity surged through his body, and for a brief moment Isshin felt his heart stop beating. He tumbled towards the ground, crash landing onto his back.

"You were foolish to drop your guard, Isshin." Raiden said as he hovered over his fallen enemy. "You may bear no grudge towards me, but I still have an unsettled grudge towards you! What is more, Aizen instructed me to kill you, and all of your friends and relatives. So it makes no difference if you save your family now, or let them perish. You're dead just the same." Despite his horrible burns Isshin managed to get back up. He no choice but to fight to the bitter end. Raiden wouldn't let him get away so easily. He could only hope that Kon managed to get Yuzu, Karin and Rukia's gigai out in time.

"This time you've gone too far, Raiden," Isshin glared at him. "I once counted you as a friend, but it appears you have turned completely. Now I shall show you no mercy. Bankai!!" Isshin's sword completely vanished. A second later the ground underneath rumbled to a scale of a magnitude eight earthquake. Then a giant figure of dirt and sand rose out of the ground and solidified itself into what appeared to be a raccoon.

"Shinzui no daichi Shukaku. I may have lost to you once before, but this current Bankai of mine is one you haven't seen before," Isshin said.

"It makes no difference whatsoever…I shall beat you the same way!" Raiden exclaimed. He directed Raiju to fire a giant ball of lightning at Isshin. Isshin simply stood still as Shukaku turned itself into a solid earth barrier. The lightning struck the raccoon and dissipated. Raiden was shocked.

"Impossible! Raiju is stronger than your Shukaku! It shouldn't have blocked the lightning like that!" he exclaimed.

"I guess you were wrong," Isshin taunted him. In a rage Raiden and his weasel charged down at Isshin, who was now sitting upon Shukaku's head. The raccoon easily blocked Raiju's attack and extended tendrils of earth and sand to bind the weasel's front and hind legs. Isshin calmly walked towards Raiden, who in desperation fired a bolt of lightning from his hands. Isshin chanted, "Bakudou no. 81, Danku" and raised up a barrier which blocked the attack. Shukaku's sand started to asphyxiate Raiju, who was now completely immobilized. Knowing that his Bankai was about to disappear, Raiden tried to detach himself from it. Isshin saw what he was doing and chanted again.

"Bakudou no. 63, Sajo Sabaku!" he shouted. Raiden's arms and were bound tightly with ghostly red rope, completely immobilizing him. Isshin then summoned some of Shukaku's sand and reformed his sword. Seeing his inevitable fate lying before him, Raiden tried to change tack.

"Wait a second Isshin! Please forgive everything I've done!" he pleaded. "It wasn't my fault! I was hypnotized by Aizen! I'll try to make up everything, I promise." Isshin wasn't fooled. Even if Aizen had hypnotized him, he still acted of his own accord.

"Your act won't fool me," Isshin said. "A royal guard of your caliber should have been able to see through Aizen's hypnosis, and even if you were hypnotized, your actions here were entirely done by your own free will. This is the end, old friend. I won't kill you, but with the fate you're about to be resigned to, you may as well wish you were dead." Raiden screamed out as Isshin pierced his soul chain and soul booster. In an instant Raiden's Bankai collapsed and he fell to the ground unconscious. Isshin sealed his Zanpakto and checked Raiden's unconscious body one. He left his former comrade lying on the ground and Shunpo-ed as fast as he could back home.

"Yuzu, Karin, Kon, Chappy, I'm coming to save you now!" Isshin shouted to himself. "Please don't die on me yet!" Smoke was now rising across many parts of the city, as the buildings struck by the lightning went up in flames.

* * *

At the same time as Byakuya and Isshin's battles were taking place, Mayuri was confronting the Arrancar that had shown up at the front gates of Tokyo University. With Nemu by his side, he calmly observed the opponent. The Arrancar appeared to be an Adjucha class menos, of slight build with scarlet black hair.

"You must be the Captain of the 12th Division, Kurotsuchi Mayuri," the Arrancar spoke. "Am I right?"

"I am. And who are you?" Mayuri asked. "A pawn of Aizen?"

"Yes, I am his servant!" the Arrancar exclaimed. "Decaimentio, a steed of the Apocalypse, and subordinate to Muerte, the Lord of Death! I have been ordered by Aizen-sama to kill you!" Mayuri felt amused by this.

"You sound awfully confident about your chances of beating me," Mayuri said.

"Of course. I know all about you, which includes your abilities," Decaimentio said.

"Oh, and how did you find out? Did Aizen tell you about me? He must have left out some information then, because I always improve my abilities after each battle."

"That may be so, but don't know have a clue about my abilities," Decaimentio unsheathed his sword, "Dissolve, Herrumbre!" His Zanpakto turned into goo that enveloped his body. Mayuri watched on in amusement as his opponent transformed himself into a being made completely out of liquid metal. Decaimentio sensed his inaction, and seized the moment to spit a blob of liquid goo at Mayuri. Mayuri tried to dodge it but the goo ended up getting onto his left arm. Mayuri's eyes widened in shock when his arm started to oxidize as if it was rusting. In a reflex action he severed his left arm with his sword and destroyed the entire limb with a quick Hadou spell.

"Nice reflexes," Decaimentio clapped his hands. "Worthy of a captain opponent. My powers allow me to infect and dissolve the bodies of everything I touch." Mayuri wasn't bothered at all. He took a syringe out from under his cloak and injected it into the stubble of his left arm. In a few seconds, his entire arm, sleeves and all, had grown back.

"That's an intriguing power you have there," Mayuri said. "Quite a scientific wonder. I presume to contains a chemical that oxidizes all substances it comes into contact with? Or maybe it's just a potent acid. Whatever it is, I wonder if your powers would work against this…Bankai." His Zanpakto dissolved and reformed itself as a hideous creature that resembled a giant caterpillar with the face of a baby. "Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo." The creature breathed out a noxious gas that made Decaimentio cover his mouth.

"What is this? Some kind of poison gas? It won't work on me!" Decaimentio shouted.

"Want to prove that inside its stomach?" Mayuri asked with a grin. He ordered his Bankai to charge at Decaimentio. The giant creature opened its mouth and literally swallowed the Arrancar whole. Mayuri heard satisfying screams of terror. Then there was a brief moment's silence, before the screams of terror turned into maniacal laughter. Mayuri's Bankai wavered and then started to convulse inside. Its body started to swell, as if something was expanding from within. It gave one final shriek before it burst out in a shower of green slime and body parts. Mayuri and Nemu dodged out of the way, as they looked at the spot where Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo once stood.

Standing in puddle of slime was Decaimentio, covered with the same slime but otherwise unharmed. Mayuri was a bit surprised.

"Funny, I thought my Bankai had devoured you," he said. "Did you fake those screams?"

"Of course. I merely pretended to get myself eaten. Once I was inside your Bankai creature's stomach, it was so easy to blow its insides up!" Decaimentio laughed madly. He pointed his right hand at Mayuri. "You have no way of killing me now!" Mayuri was getting annoyed at his opponent's arrogance.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that claim," he said bluntly. "I still have many tricks up my sleeve. Nemu, bring up the Kidou Cannon."

"Yes, Mayuri-sama," Nemu responded. She unstrapped a metallic case she had been carrying on her back. She opened the case and quickly assembled a strange contraption. It resembled a rocket launcher in size and shape. Nemu placed the weapon upon her shoulder and aimed at Decaimentio, who visibly panicked.

"Fire at will!" Mayuri shouted. Nemu pressed the trigger. A giant red ball of pure spirit energy shot out the cannon and headed straight for Decaimentio. The Arrancar tried desperately to dodge out of the way but it was useless. The heat-seeking missile slammed into him and completely obliterated his body in an explosion that lit up the night sky. When the smoke cleared there was not a single trace of Decaimentio's body left. Mayuri felt both pleased and disappointed. Pleased that he wouldn't have listen to that Arrancar's annoying voice, but also disappointed that there wasn't any remains left for research.

"Thank you Nemu. This time, you actually did a competent job," Mayuri congratulated his Vice Captain. Nemu bowed humbly and placed the Kidou Cannon back in its case. They were about to go back when both of them heard a sudden rumbling in the immediate vicinity. Mayuri turned around and gasped at what he saw. The nearby vehicles had somehow been lifted into the air and were forming into a hideous jumble of metal. Mayuri watched in fright as a gigantic robot appeared before his eyes. Two vans formed its legs; a semi-trailer cab formed its torso, two cars formed its arms, a pair of metal poles formed its 'hands' and a large plasma television set formed its head. The screen of the television lit up and Mayuri saw a twisted image of Decaimentio's face peering down on him.

"Ha, ha, surprised to see me again?" the Arrancar laughed. "You may have destroyed my physical body, but I can take over any piece of metal I want and control it as a living organism! You stand no chance against me now!" The robot form of Decaimentio used its right hand to grab a screaming Nemu into the air. He lifted her over his head and then slammed her into the ground. Decaimentio was about to stomp Nemu into oblivion when Mayuri pulled a grappling hook from his cloak and latched onto Decaimentio's right ankle. The giant robot simply took a step back, pulling Mayuri along with it, and then kicked him hard in the chest. Mayuri spewed a gallon of blood out of his mouth as he felt his heart and lungs get pulverized. He was sent flying backwards and skidded on the ground.

"This is the end, Shinigami!" Decaimentio shouted. "I shall tear apart that lovely subordinate of yours and then I shall finish you off! Prepare to meet your doom!" He bent down and grasped an unconscious Nemu in his claws. Just as he was about to rip her in two, his entire robot form froze in its track. Decaimentio's face contorted into an expression of horror.

"Impossible! How can this be?" he asked in despair. Mayuri smirked.

"You fell into my trap," he said as he stood up. "I honestly had no idea you'd survive the Kidou Cannon blast, but as a fail safe, I infected you with a deadly techno-organic virus whilst you were inside Konjiki Ashisogi Jizo's stomach. Even if your body is destroyed, your spiritual essence remains. This virus attached itself to that essence and began devouring it even as you changed form. Soon your mind will no even exist as the last of your brain cells get eaten. Goodbye, Arrancar. It's a shame I can't keep you around as an experiment." Decaimentio gave out a final hideous screech before the face on the screen disappeared; Then the entire robot crumbled into wreck of vehicles. Mayuri quickly found Nemu underneath the rumble. She was critically injured, and her life force was fading fast. Mayuri sighed deeply.

"I guess I have no choice but to administer the healing aid, my beloved daughter," he said as he spread Nemu's legs wide open.

* * *

Notes: The Battle for Tokyo has now heated up! Byakuya, Isshin and Mayuri have all fought at the their heighest levels. There are more captain fights to come!

This was a very difficult chapter to write, not because I had writer's block for two days, but because of the complexity of the fights. There are a lot of original names and characters introduced in this chapter, so I'll spell them out:

Meurte: Spanish for Death. Obviously based on Death, the Horseman of the Apocalypse. He is a special type of Vasto Lorde, who remains in constant release form. His Zanpakto is called "Obscuridad" which means Darkness in Spanish. It takes the form of a giant scythe. Meurte is able to create shadow copies of himself and release a poisoness gas that is deadly to any spirit being.

Raiden: Based on the Japanese God of Lightning. Is one of the Royal Guards. Was a former friend of Isshin who has since joined Aizen's side. His Zanpakto is Raiju, which is based on the legendary beast of the same name. In shikai form its a golden sword that can fire lightning bolts at will. In its Bankai form, Shinzui no denkou Raiju, or Spirit of Lightning Raiju, Raiden's Zanpakto turns into a giant weasel made entirely out of electricity. It cn call down thunderstorms and fired balls of lightning.

Isshin: The former Royal Guard and implied to be based on the Japanese God of Earth. His Zanpakto Shukaku, is similar to Raiden's Zanpakto in many ways. Its Bankai form, Shinzui no daichi Shukaku, (Spirit of Earth Shukaku), turns into a giant sand raccoon that can solidy itself into solid earth, wrap itself around enemies and choke them with sand particles.

Decaimentio: Spanish for Decay. The 'steed' of Meute. An Adjucha-class Arrancar. His released form is called Herrumble, or rust in English. He transforms into a creature made out of living metal that can dissolve both metallic and non-metallic objects. He can also take control of all metallic things and transform them into living organisms.

Mayuri's Kidou Cannon: This is something Mayuri develops during his time at the Tokyo University. It contains the power of a level 90 Hadou spell.

I appreciate all of the reviewsso far. Thank you all for the feedback. I've taken all of your criticisms on board.


	15. Chapter 15: Amazons of Death

* * *

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: As Ichigo and his friends freed the imprisoned Gotei 13 officers who initiated an uprising in the Soul Society, the real world was suddenly invaded by forces from Heuco Mundo, under the command of Aizen's royal guards. Tokyo city became an epic battleground, as each of the captains hiding undercover, along with Isshin and Ryuken, mobilized to fend off the invaders. Byakuya fought the Vasto Lorde Muerte, barely triumphing after using all four forms of his Bankai. Isshin had a rematch with his former friend and comrade, the royal guard Raiden, as their battle descended into a duel of the monsters. Finally, Mayuri and Nemu dealt with the Arrancar Decaimentio, whose liquid metal body proved difficult to destroy, until Mayuri infected him with a technorganic virus.

* * *

Chapter 15: Amazons of Death

Hitsugaya Toshiro and his Vice Captain Matsumoto Rangiku stared nervously at the Arrancar who had appeared in front of them. He had flaming red hair was wearing a white jacket and pants. The reiatsu level that flowed out of his body greatly disturbed Hitsugaya. He had fought a few Arrancars in the past. In his first battle with one, he had almost died, but that was due to the restriction on his power. In the subsequent battles, he was fighting against Adjucha-level Arrancar who were powerful enough to withstand even his Bankai, and still survive. Examining his opponent now, Hitsugaya concluded that this Arrancar was also and Adjucha class Arrancar. He unsheathed his sword.

"Matsumoto, draw out your Zanpakto," Hitsugaya said,

"Yes, Captain," Matsumoto replied. The Arrancar looked a little bemused.

"Oh, you're drawing your sword without even going through introductions?" he asked.

"What is there to discuss? I'm a Shinigami and you're an Arrancar," Hitsugaya replied. "You were obviously sent by Aizen to kill us Gotei 13 Captains."

"Still, I think it would have been nice to know the name of the person I am going to kill," the Arrancar smirked. "Be proud to know my name. I am Arruinar, Steed of the Apocalypse, and I shall have the honour of devouring you, Captain of the Gotei 13." He unsheathed his sword and sent a blast of reiatsu at Hitsugaya and Matsumoto. Matsumoto almost buckled under the spirit pressure, and Hitsugaya himself had to unleash his own reiatsu to withstand it. _I guess I have no choice but to go all out_, Hitsugaya thought.

"Bankai!" he shouted. His entire body exploded with spiritual pressure, as wings of ice grew out of his shoulder. An ice tail grew out of his back, claws of ice wrapped around his hands and feet, and his blade was covered in ice crystals so that it resembled the mouth of a dragon. "Daiguren Hyorinmaru."

"Ah a fantastic sight," Arruinar commented. "Worthy of a captain. Why don't I show you my Zanpakto? Burn, Infierno!" Hitsugaya covered his eyes as the Arrancar was engulfed by a huge column of flame. He and Matsumoto jumped back a dozen feet to get away from the heat. When Hitsugaya opened his eyes, he was shocked at what he saw. Arruinar was now a smoldering figure of fire. His entire body was covered in flames, and his eyes were a burning yellow. Before Hitsugaya could react, Arruinar flung a powerful stream of flame at he and Matsumoto.

"Get back Matsumoto! I'll take him alone!" he exclaimed. Matsumoto nodded and jumped into the air. Hitsugaya fired a beam of ice from his Zanpakto to counter the column of flame. The two beams smashed into each other, and soon it became a tug of war between fire and ice. Gradually, Hitsugaya was losing. The fire was so intense that ice crystals that formed his Bankai were starting to melt. Even though he no longer had the burdensome petals which imposed a limit on his Bankai, Hitsugaya was struggling to consciously maintain his Bankai's form.

He decided he had enough of the duel and jumped clear of the fire column. Before Arruinar could react Hitsugaya was already descending down towards him.

"Ryusenka!" Hitsugaya shouted. He thrust his Zanpakto through Arruinar's chest. To his utter shock, the Arrancar did not freeze at the instance of contact. Arruinar laughed.

"You thought you could freeze me with a puny sword like that?" he asked. Hitsugaya felt a burning fist puncture his stomach. He gasped and spewed out a stream of blood from his mouth. _Damn it_, he swore to himself. He just managed to dodge a second attack from Arruinar, and jumped beside Matsumoto.

"Captain, are you alright?" Matsumoto asked.

"I'm fine Matsumoto," Hitsugaya replied, although he was still clutching his waist. "Can you do me a favor?"

"I'm willing to do anything for you Captain?"

"Could you stall against the Arrancar for a minute or so? That's all the time I need to set up my Thousand Years Ice Prison. There's enough moisture in the atmosphere right now to do it, but I need you to distract him."

"Okay, I'll do it Captain."

"Don't get yourself killed." Matsumoto nodded and Shunpo-ed down towards Arruinar, Hitsugaya initiated the beginning sequence of his attack. As he did so, he watched was happening down below.

"Oh, what is this? The Captain sent his Vice Captain to fight in his stead? What a coward," Arruinar laughed. "So, you think you can take me on, woman?" Matsumoto didn't respond. She gripped her sword tightly and shouted, "Growl, Haineko!" Her sword turned into a steam of ash. She directed the stream to smother Arruinar, but the Arrancar easily blew the stream away. He then wrapped his arms around Matsumoto. Matsumoto screamed in pain as she felt her entire body burn up.

"I like my women with no clothes on…let's take off that encumbering robe of yours!" Arruinar shouted. As he was about to strip Matsumoto apart, Hitsugaya at last completed the charge up. He Shunpo-ed down and snatched Matsumoto out of Arruinar's grasp, before he shouted "Thousand Years Ice Prison!" Ten giant columns of ice appeared around Arruinar and before the Arrancar could escape, Hitsugaya brought them all in to completely encase his enemy in a giant ice prison. Thinking that the battle was over, Hitsugaya carried Matsumoto to the top of a building and laid her down. She looked terrible. Nearly half her robe had been torn, with one of her breasts exposed, Her skin had been scorched in many places, and some parts had been almost blackened.

"Hang on Matsumoto, I'll call the 4th Division in to tend to you," Hitsugaya said. He was about to head for the Tokyo Hospital when he felt a sudden explosion of reiatsu. He turned around and stared in utter disbelief. His Thousand Years Ice Prison had been completely shattered. Arruinar, who Hitsugaya had trapped inside it, was seemingly unharmed. Without saying a word the Arrancar aimed a giant fire blast at the unconscious form of Matsumoto. Hitsugaya saw what was coming and quickly Shunpo-ed directly in front of the blast. He screamed in pain as he felt his entire back get singed by the blast. It took all of his willpower to remain standing.

"It's over Shinigami! You thought you could trap me with that big ice prison thing," Arruinar gloated. "You were sadly mistaken. One more blast is all that it takes to finish you!" Hitsugaya looked down at Matsumoto, who for a brief moment opened her eyes and saw him, She smiled at him. That smile made Hitsugaya remember the many times his loyal Vice Captain had saved him and cared for him. She had been the person who had discovered his incredible spiritual powers and placed his formerly disinterested self on the path to become a Shinigami. During his miserable years at the academy, she had always visited him and taught him how to fight. When he became the youngest Captain in Soul Society's history, it was Matsumoto who helped him adjust to his position and enabled him to deal with people who were many times older than him.

"Thank you Matsumoto. This time I shall be the one who protects you," Hitsugaya smiled. He then turned his attention to Arruinar. "This battle is far from over. Just look at the air around you." Arruinar, who had been charging a giant fireball attack, noticed that particles of ice had started to form in the sky. The temperature of the air around him had dropped considerably. He was shocked when the ball of fire in his hands started to disintegrate.

"What the hell is this? My fire ball is being quenched! How can this be?" he asked in a panic. "No water in the world can extinguish my fire!" His frantic screams became even worse when his entire body started to cool down and ice appeared on the surface of his skin. "No! My whole body is freezing!"

"This is my Bankai's ultimate move, Touketsu Sekai," Hitsugaya explained. "With it, I can lower the temperature in the atmosphere in a ten feet radius around an opponent to two hundred degrees below zero. At this point, even the oxygen and nitrogen of the air start to cool down and solidify. No living organism can survive such a temperature. Your body has already cooled to a point below freezing level. Soon you will be completely solid." Arruinar didn't get the chance to hear Hitsugaya's last sentence. At this point he was already covered in a thick layer of ice. Hitsugaya felt the Arrancar's last remnants of reiatsu disappear.

"Sayonara, Arrancar," he said as he watched Arruinar's frozen body plummet to the ground. It crashed into the roof of a building and shattered into a million pieces. A second later Hitsugaya's Bankai also shattered and his sword returned to its sealed form. He landed close to Matsumoto again and carried her in his arms.

"Thank you Captain," she smiled at him. Hitsugaya smiled back.

* * *

At the exact same moment, Soifon and Yoruichi were confronting not just one, but two Arrancar. Both of them were female. One had long, scraggy black hair with a mask fragment on her forehead; the other had garish green hair and a mask fragment down her nose. Both were wearing loose fitting white dresses which revealed their hollow holes. Soifon sensed that the Arrancar with black hair was the stronger of the two, as her reiatsu perhaps even stronger than her own. She looked at Yoruichi, who mentally acknowledged her thoughts. They both unsheathed their swords and in readiness to fight.

"Are you a Vasto Lorde?" Yoruichi asked. The black haired Arrancar smiled.

"How perceptive of you," she said. "You actually sensed my true reiatsu. Yes, I am a Vasto Lorde. My name is Carestia, Horseman of the Apocalypse. The one beside me is Gazuza, my personal steed. Both of us are Heralds of Aizen, sent down to assassinate you Shinigami."

"I see, you've explained a lot about yourselves," Yoruichi said. "Let's go Soifon!"

"Right!" Soifon nodded. "Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi." Her Zanpakto shrunk in size and attached itself around her right hand. The 'blade' became a sharp dagger attached to her middle finger. At the same time Yoruichi activated her Shunko. Lightning sparks covered her shoulders, back and chest. Even more, she grew an entire arm and hand made entirely out of condensed Kido, able to be manipulated at will.

"Yoruichi-sama, let me take on the Vasto Lorde," Soifon said.

"But Soifon, she might be even more powerful than that Espada we fought against…"

"I know! That's why I need to prove myself! I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me anymore. I have to be strong enough to fight for myself."

"Alright Soifon, I'll take on the Adjucha. But don't push yourself too hard. Just hold her off until I deal with the underling, okay?" Soifon nodded. The Vasto Lorde Carestia found the banter between the two of them amusing.

"You girls actually decided who you wanted to fight? I'm a bit surprised," she giggled. "Very well then, have it your way. Gazuza, deal with the black woman. I'll take out the other girl."

"Understood, Carestia-sama," the other Arrancar nodded. She and Yoruichi disappeared to fight in another part of the city. Carestia watched her go before she turned her attention to Soifon.

"So, it's just you versus me, Captain of the Gotei 13," she said, drawing out her sword. "Let's see how strong you are." Soifon Shunpo-ed behind her and aimed her Shikai at Carestia's back. The Arrancar blocked her strike with her sword, and then kicked Soifon in the stomach. Soifon gasped for breath, spewing blood out of her mouth. _Damn, she's too fast_! Carestia swooped in for the kill, slashing her sword at Soifon, who Shunpo-ed behind her again. She activated Shunko at the same time, surrounding her Shikai with super dense reiatsu. It was enough to penetrate Carestia's defence and land a strike upon her shoulder. Carestia grimaced for a moment, before she landed a kick upon Soifon's face. Soifon was sent flying backwards, her entire right cheek now heavily bruised.

"Hmm, not bad. You managed to land a hit on me," Carestia said. "Even so, you stand no chance against me."

"Oh?" Soifon smiled. "Look at your shoulder." Carestia glanced down and gasped. A large black mark had formed around the area where she had been cut.

"What the hell is this?" Carestia asked, trying to remove it.

"It's my Homonka. My Suzumebachi creates them every time it lands a strike on the enemy. If I hit them in the same place again, they automatically die."

"Hmph, what an annoying ability. I wanted to go easy on you, but it appears that I'd better put you down before you can do me some serious harm. Drain, Chupador!" A huge cloud of spirit energy engulfed Carestia, as her reiatsu shot up dramatically. When the dust cleared her hands had turned into black claws, her eyes had become a scarlet purple, and two giant black wings had grown out of her shoulders. Before Soifon could even respond, she was stabbed through the stomach.

"My, my, this was easier than I thought," Carestia dug her claws in deeper. "I'm going to drain your spirit energy until you're dead." Soifon struggled to break free.

Elsewhere, Yoruichi had begun her battle with Carestia's underling Gazuza. The Arrancar flew at the former Special Ops commander, doing spectacular dive bombs from high above. Yoruichi easily dodged all of her attacks, and on the sixth passing, she managed to grab Gazuza's foot and swung her around. She raised her Shunko left arm, primed for a strike as she brought Gazuza level with her own body. The Arrancar sensed what as happening and desperately tried to shift to the side. Yoruichi's arm ended up going through her right side. Gazuza managed to kick Yoruichi in the face, causing her let go. The Arrancar retreated some twenty feet back, grasping the huge wound on her waist, as blood flowed profusely from it.

"Curse you Shinigami!" she swore at Yoruichi. "I'm going to rip your heart out! Devour, Carnivoro!" She was momentarily engulfed with a cloud of spirit energy. When it cleared soon after she had become bestial in appearance. Her face and haw had enlarged, having a grown a full set of sharp canine teeth. Her hands and feet had turned into razor sharp claws, and whitish 'fur' had grown all over her body. Yoruichi was a tad amused.

"My, my, this is very interesting," she said. "You've become a feline of sorts. It just so happens I know how to deal with cats like you." Gazuza sneered and immediately pounced at Yoruichi, who underestimated her sudden increase in speed. The released Arrancar grasped her claws onto Yoruichi's body and sunk her teeth into her shoulder. Yoruichi grimaced in pain, but was able to free her arms. She grabbed Gazuza's head with her left arm and held her sword in her right hand.

"Prowl, Nekomata!" Her Zanpakto transformed into a studded black leather which split midway into two separate parts. This whip wrapped around Gazuza's neck, ripping into her throat. Yoruichi tightened the whip, slowly strangling the life out of the Arrancar. As she did so, she sensed Soifon's reiatsu drop dramatically.

"Sorry, but I don't have time to play with you," Yoruichi said. She turned her left arm into the shape of a drill and stabbed Gazuza through the head. A few second later the Arrancar's body dissipated into thin air. Still in her Shikai mode, Yoruichi quickly Shunpo-ed back to the scene of Soifon's battle.

Soifon was still struggling to break free of Carestia's grip. She felt her life force leak out of her body, at the same time as her blood flowed out of her wound. _Damn, I have to do something soon or else I'll be dead_.

"Too bad Shinigami," Carestia grinned. "It will take a few more minutes to drain you completely." At that moment, Soifon thought of an idea. She quickly yelled, "Bankai!" A sudden increase in her reiatsu, followed by a gigantic explosion of spirit energy, made Carestia pull out her claws and retreat backward. She was lucky she did, because a second later a huge swarm of bees suddenly appeared. They coalesced around Soifon and formed one enormous bee, over thirty feet in length.

""Kougou Hachi Suzumebachi," Soifon said. She directed her giant bee to attack Carestia. The Vasto Lorde Arrancar shot a stream of dark energy out of her mouth. It smashed into the bee, which almost instantly disintegrated into millions of individual bees that continued to chase after Carestia. Soifon directed the bees with both of her hands, causing Carestia to fly around in circles.

"Watch out, Arrancar, each of those bees has a stinger that can inject lethal poison into you!" Soifon exclaimed. "One sting and it's over!"

"Damn you, Shinigami!" Carestia cursed. She fired multiple ceros from her wing tips, which momentarily surprised Soifon. This gave Carestia the chance to turn around and wrap her tongue around Soifon's neck.

"I've got you now, Shinigami!" Carestia laughed. Soifon struggled to break free, as she was slowly pulled towards Carestia. The Vasto Lorde extended her claws out, ready to tear into Soifon's heart. Just as Soifon was pulled within ten feet of Carestia, she heard another voice shout "Bankai!" In a flash a gigantic black cat appeared in the air and gripped Carestia tightly in its claws.

"What the hell is this?" Carestia asked, trying desperately to shake it off.

"This is my Bankai, Nekomata Yabun Akisunerai," Yoruichi smirked as she appeared before Soifon. Soifon was relieved to see her.

"Yoruichi-san! Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine Soifon. Let's finish this together." Yoruichi directed Nekomata to clamp its jaws around Carestia's head. The Vasto Lorde screamed in pain as waves of energy flowed through her body, completely paralyzing her. Soifon seized the opportunity and merged all of the bees together. The giant mother bee flew in and stabbed its stinger right through Carestia's chest. The Arrancar gave out a loud shriek before her body dissolved into nothingness. Soifon and Yoruichi returned their Zanpaktos to their sealed form and proceeded to hug each other tightly.

"We did, it Yoruichi-san," Soifon said, snuggling her mentor's bosom.

"I know, Soifon. I'm glad we got survived that battle," Yoruichi said, hugging Soifon tightly.

* * *

Unohana Retsu disliked getting into battles. She wasn't exactly a pacifist, but if there was no need to shed blood, she wouldn't even bother to draw her sword. Using this method, she had managed to keep herself out of fighting for a considerable amount of years. Right now though, she was beginning to think that only bloodshed could resolve the situation she was in.

It had been a shock to meet Marisha again. She had been the Captain of the 2nd division some five hundred years ago, and was once Unohana's best friend. They had fought together during the Quincy wars some two centuries earlier, but a bitter dispute about methods of dealing with conflicts led a falling out between them. Shortly afterwards Marisha was promoted to the Royal Guard, and Unohana never saw her again.

"We meet again at last, Unohana Retsu," Marisha said. She was a powerfully built woman with short brunette hair. She wore a single piece battle suit that barely covered her torso, with a red cloak on top of it. Her Zanpakto was curved just like Unohana's.

"Marisha, why have you betrayed Soul Society?" Unohana asked.

"Funny that you should ask me that question," Marisha smirked. "I haven't betrayed Soul Society. Soul Society simply betrayed me. Aizen is a far better king than Izanagi ever was."

"You…!!" Unohana was furious. She unsheathed her sword and threw away the scabbard. She flew at Marisha, swinging her sword at her neck with both hands. Marisha quickly pulled out her sword and blocked Unohana's strike.

"Oh, getting so riled up about the old Spirit King?" Marisha laughed. "Don't worry, Aizen hasn't killed him. He's merely imprisoned in a box." Unohana backed away from Marisha, still grasping her sword with both hands.

"So it was true after all. Aizen has merely usurped the king's throne, rather than taken his position legitimately," she said. This time it was Marisha who became furious.

"You shall pay for insulting Aizen-sama, Unohana Retsu!" Marisha shouted. She charged at Unohana swinging wildly with her Zanpakto. Unohana blocked with her sword and the two of them exchanged a furious sword duel across the sky. Initially, Marisha was on the offensive, her scimitar-shaped Zanpakto rippling like a ribbon. But Unohana was able to easily block each attack without using up two much strength. When Marisha over extended her reach, Unohana seized the chance to slash her across the left side. Marisha grimaced as blood spurted out of her left shoulder. She retreated a dozen feet and nursed the injury.  
"Damn you, Retsu, your Kendo skills are as sharp as ever," Marisha muttered.

"Why, thank you for the compliment," Unohana laughed. "Considering that I haven't had to fight for more than a decade." Marisha sealed up the wound on her left shoulder and stared gripped her Zanpakto with both hands.

"Fine then, if a one-handed sword doesn't work against a two handed sword, then I'll just have to use two swords! Slice and dice, Adachigahara!" Her scimitar rose into the air and split into two long and slender cleaver blades. They resembled elegant cutting knives, and had elegant designs of a demon engraved upon them.

"Remember my Zanpakto, Unohana? Remember how sharp it was the last time we fought? I'll give you another taste of it!" Marisha exclaimed. She Shunpo-ed directly in front of Unohana. Before Unohana could even raise her sword to block, Marisha slashed at her neck. Unohana instinctively flinched backwards. Though she saved her throat from being cut, Marisha's blades still sliced off most of her pigtail, and caused a large gash across her chest. Unohana grimaced in pain, as blood flowed out of it freely.

"It seems that you can't keep up with me, can you, Retsu?" Marisha asked. Unohana didn't bother to respond. She took off her captain's cloak and rearranged her hair so that it flowed over her shoulders. She then gripped her sword tightly.

"Glide through the skies, Minazuki," she said. Her formerly curved sword changed into a normal katana, and shot out a thick green mist that solidified into what appeared to be a giant green sea serpent. Marisha was impressed.

"Ah, yes, Minazuki, the dweller of the seas," she commented. "I've longed to test myself against its power. When was the last time you've called it out, Unohana?"

"Only yesterday, but I used it for healing and transportation, not for battle," Unohana replied. "Minazuki is gentle-hearted, like I am. But when its spirit is aroused, it can become an unstoppably ferocious monster." She raised her sword and fired Minazuki at Marisha. The green serpent slithered towards the royal guard. Marisha sliced at Minazuki, but to her surprise the serpent dissolved into a green mist that surrounded Marisha. It promptly solidified itself and wrapped around Marisha's neck, arms and legs. Unohana clenched her left hand and started to tighten Minazuki's grip on Marisha.

"Urgh, get this thing off me!" Marisha yelled. She tried to slice at Minazuki's skin, but the areas she cut only dissolved into green mist before reforming again. She even resorted to biting at Minazuki, to no avail either.

"Minazuki's grip is impossible to break. It will continue to exert its pressure around you until you asphyxiate," Unohana explained.

"Not if I can help it!" Marisha sneered. She struggled once last time to break free, before giving up and simply shouting "Bankai!" instead. Unohana gasped when Minazuki suddenly exploded into a shower of green mist as an immense cloud of spiritual energy surrounded Marisha. As Unohana peered through the cloud, she could make out an enormous and threatening shape. When the cloud dissipated, the shape resolved into a truly gigantic bronze statue of a goddess of some sort, with six arms, each of them carrying sinister blades over ten feet long. From head to toe, Unohana estimated her height to be about sixty feet. She was so tall that her toes actually rested upon the roof of a building. As for Marisha herself, Unohana saw that she had secreted herself within the chest of the statue, controlling it like a puppet.

"Impressed yet, Unohana?" Marisha's voice came out like a loudspeaker. "This is my Bankai, Reifujin Yaiba Adachigahara. I'll enjoy slicing and dicing you to pieces" The giant statue started spinning its arms around, its six blades revolving a rapid speed. In an impressive demonstration of its power, the statue utterly carve up a twenty-five storey skyscraper that Unohana tried to hide behind, reducing it to rubble. Knowing that she would be mincemeat if the blades touched her, Unohana quickly Shunpo-ed into the sky.

"I won't let you escape!" Marisha's voice thundered. A red dot that was on the statue's forehead sprung to life firing a giant yellow beam of spirit energy directly at Unohana. Unohana screamed in pain as her entire body bore the brunt of the blast. She was sent crashing into another building, and smashed through the other side before she righted herself an floated back up again. By then half her robes had been burnt off, with her breasts and crotch barely covered. The rest of her body had been singed badly. _Damn, I've never had to fight this hard for more than a century!_ Unohana cursed. She knew she had no choice but to go all out. She gathered the shattered elements of Minazuki together and shouted "Bankai!" Her sword swelled up expanded, growing in size until it became a manta ray over thirty foot long. Its majestic wings spread over forty foot in width, its white underbelly revealing a gaping mouth and claws. Unohana sat on top of the creature.

"Akisunerai Naiou Minazuki," she said. Marisha let out a laugh.

"Is that what your Bankai is? A giant manta ray?" she asked. "What good will it to against my Adachigahara?" Unohana didn't bother to respond. Instead she submerged half of her body inside Minazuki.

"Minazuki, battle form," she commanded. The giant manta ray began a sudden transformation. Two cannon-like organic attachments grew out from under its wings; a set of viciously sharp teeth grew in its mouth, and its claws grew in size. Unlike its previously docile appearance, Minazuki now exuded ferociousness.

"Let's go, Minazuki!" Unohana shouted. The giant manta ray flew at the equally giant statue. Marisha started up the statue's cutting motion again, determined to slice Unohana and her manta ray to pieces. Unohana mentally commanded Minazuki to spit saliva from its mouth. The greenish saliva descended upon Marisha's statue. For a few moments her Bankai continued to cut as normal but then it slowed down to a halt. It was then that Marisha realized that all six of Adachigahara's blades had been completely born down to nothing.

"What the hell happened to the swords?" Marisha screeched in rage.

"They've been corroded by Minazuki's spit. When its in battle form, its saliva is highly concentrated and acidic, enough to reduce even the toughest of metals to nothing," Unohana explained.

"Fine then, I'll just have to resort to Adachigahara's cannon!" Marisha shouted. The red dot on the statue's forehead fired another beam of spirit energy at Unohana. This time Minazuki opened its mouth and completely swallowed it. It expanded in size as it took in the entirety of the beam. It stayed in its swollen form for a few moments, before it reflected the beam back at the statue. Marisha shrieked as she and her statue were engulfed in the beam. When the dust cleared, all of the statue's head and two of its arms had been blown off. Unohana could see where Marisha was. She flew Minazuki down and commanded the manta ray to dig its claws deep into the statue's shoulders. Minazuki then extended a long slimy tongue that shot down into the cockpit area and yanked Marisha out. The royal guard tried desperately to free herself.

"Let me go you overgrown fish!" she exclaimed. As Minazuki dangled Marisha over the city, Unohana started channeling her spirit energy into her hands.

"Bakudou 63, Raikohou!" she shouted, firing a giant yellow blast directly at Marisha. The explosion lit up the night sky, and caused Minazuki to retract its tongue. When the smoke cleared Unohana could see that Marisha was already tumbling towards the ground. She ordered Minazuki to fly down low and catch the royal guard upon its back. Unohana examined Marisha's charred body. She was still alive, but she had suffered 3rd degree burns to all parts of her body. Unohana reverted Minazuki to its peaceful form and flew back to the hospital.

* * *

Notes: Another epic chapter of fights, this time involving the most powerful female Shinigami. Yoruichi, Soifon and Unohana all get to show off the limits of their powers, including their Bankais! There's one more real world battle to come, and then the rebellion in the Soul Society will be wrapped up. Like the last chapter, there are many original terms and phrases, including names for OCs and character Zanpaktos.

Arruinar: An Adjucha class Arrancar, Steed of the Apocalypse. His name means Ruin in Spanish. His Zanpakto is Infiero, which obviously means Inferno. Like the name, his released form turns him into a literal fire demon, able to shoot fireballs at will from his body.

Touketsu Sekai: Hitsugaya's ultimate Bankai move. Means Frozen World in Japanese. This move freezes the air in a ten feet radius around an opponent to -250 degrees celsius, snap freezing the enemy as even oxygen and nitrogen turn to solid.

Carestia: A Horseman of the Apocalypse, one of the Four Vastolorde Arrancar. Her name means Famine (lit. scarcity) in Spanish. Her Zanpakto is Chupador, which literraly mesn Sucker in Spanish. When released, Carestia resembles a succubus, with huge black wings. Like its name, it gives her the ability to drain the spirit energy of other beings. She can also fire a cloud of dark energy from her mouth and extend her tongue outwards.

Gazuza: A Steed of the Apocalypse, handmaided to Carestia. Her name means hunger in Spanish. Her Zanpakto is Carnivoro which obviously means carnivore. When released, she turns into a giant cat-like predator with big teeth and claws.

Nekomata: Yoruichi's Zanpakto. Its name is taken from the two-tailed Biju of legend. In its shikai form it turns into a two pronged whip with studded spikes that can extend to dozens of feet in length. Its Bankai form is Nekomata Yabun Akisunerai, which literally means Nekomata, Prowler of the Night. In this form it tusn into a giant black cat, much like Yoruichi's cat form. Apart from being to paralyze an opponent by stabbing/biting them, little else is known about Yoruichi's Bankai.

Kougou Hachi Suzumebachi: This is Soifon's Bankai. It literally means Queen Bee Suzumebachi. As its name says, her Bankai turns into a giant bee which has a stinger that can inject instantly lethal poison into an opponent's body. This bee, when hit, can separate into millions of tiny bees, which have the same effect. These bees can endlessly regenerate, and act like a swarm.

Marisha: Based on the Japanese Goddess of war. Her Zanpakto is Adachigahara, which is the name of a japanese demoness who killed little children with a knife. In its sealed state, it resembles a scimitar, and when released, becomes two independent blades that look like long kitchen knives. It's Bankai form is Reijujin Yaiba Adachigahara, literally Lady of Blades Adachigahara. It becomes a thirty foot tall, six-armed female bronze statue, very much like the Indian god Shiva. Each of its arms carries a ten-foot long sword. It can spin its arms rapidly enough to cut down anything and it can shoot beams of energy from a red chakra mark on its forehead.

Minazuki: Although Unohana has been shown flying on Minazuki in the manga, I have assumed that that form is her Bankai. Her Zanpakto's shikai form has the shape of a green serpent that can constrict enemies and asphyxiate them. It can also dissolve into mist when hit. The manta ray form is her Bankai, which has the name Akisunerai Naiou Minazuki, literally meaning 'Prowler of the Depths Minazuki" in Japanese. Normally it assumes its peaceful healing form, but it can transform into a ferocious carnivore with huge teeth and claws. In this form, it can spit corrosive acid from its mouth and swallow energy blasts.


	16. Chapter 16: Rising of the Dead

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: As the revolution across Soul Society is in full swing, Aizen's forces stage a sudden attack upon the city of Tokyo, aiming to destroy the Gotei 13 Captains and Vice Captains in hiding. Byakuya, Isshin and Mayuri barely managed to defeat their enemies. Hitsugaya had to work together with Matsumoto to fight against his opponent, an Arrancar who turned into a fire demon. In the end, he was forced to use his ultimate Bankai move. Yoruichi and Soifon teamed up to fight against a Vasto Lorde and her subordinate, both of them unleashing their Bankais. Finally Unohana faced a former comrade in the shape of Marisha, one of the Royal Guards. Their fight ended in a titanic clash of Bankais. The Battle for Tokyo is far from over, with Ryuken still to come...

* * *

Chapter 16: Rising of the Dead

Ishida Ryuken stared at the bestial looking Arrancar that was standing before him. He had been intercepted only a few minutes after coming out of his medical practice. The Arrancar had ghastly purple hair, bright yellow eyes and purple spots on his whitish-looking face. He had a mask fragment in the shape of a clown hat on his head and he wore a very loose long shirt and pants. The Arrancar was jumping about on the spot and made faces at Ryuken, which annoyed him greatly.

"State your name and purpose, Arrancar," Ryuken said, lifting up his bow "Or else I shall exterminate you on the spot." The Arrancar continued jumping around, so Ryuken fired a massive arrow at him. The Arrancar easily leaped clear and was now teasing him upside down.

"Hey, cool it down. Don't be so aggressive towards someone you never met before!" the Arrancar teased. "My name is Mentira, Steed of the Apocalypse, and I have been tasked by Aizen-sama to eliminate you-in a spectacular fashion!"

"I see. You're just another lowly pawn of that despicable Shinigami then." Ryuken fired another arrow at Mentira, who easily dodged it again.

"Hey, I thought you wouldn't kill me on the spot if I stated my name and purpose!" Mentira protested. "Sheesh you really are aggressive aren't you? No choice then but to deal with you the same way!" He unsheathed his sword and charged at Ryuken. The elder Quincy fired off a salvo of arrows, but to his shock the Arrancar easily evaded them all and got underneath his guard. Mentira then slashed Ryuken in the shoulder. Ryuken gasped as torrent of blood spurted out. He retreated several feet and nursed his shoulder. _Damnit, his speed is incredible! I don't stand a chance with just my bow_. He applied Ransotengai to the wound and succeeded in closing it up.

"That's a nifty little trick you have there," Mentira commented. "Can you show me some more? I don't think you stand a chance against me regardless."

"Of course," Ryuken said. He lifted his right arm and called out. "Arise, Taishita Washi." In a few seconds a giant blue eagle with majestic wings materialized and perched upon his right shoulder. Mentira was impressed.

"I see, a giant eagle! How spectacular. I'll enjoy slicing it and eating it for dinner!" The Arrancar charged at Ryuken again. This time the eagle flew down in front of him and blocked Mentira's sword. The blade pierced through the eagle's feathers, but since it was just a familiar, it felt no pain. The eagle in turn bit a chunk out of Mentira's shoulder. The Arrancar screamed out and tried slashing at the eagle again. When it didn't work, he duck backwards and prepared to fire a cero. Before he could finish charging it, Ryuken commanded his familiar to fire rain of feathery bolts from its wings. Thousands of these arrows pieced Mentira, causing great lashes of blood to spill out of his body. He collapsed on the ground, gasping pain.

"It is over, Arrancar," Ryuken said, point his bow at a point blank range.

"Damn you Shinigami," Mentira cursed as he stared at the arrow almost in front of him. "But I'm not done yet! Deceive, Charlatan!" Ryuken jumped back just a second before Mentira exploded with spirit energy. His reiatsu jumped up sharply. When the smoke cleared, he looked nothing like he was before. He now looked like a purple coloured imp, with horns on his head, wings on his back and a spiky tail. Ryuken was a little surprised at his appearance.

"Funny I thought you hollows turn into monsters when you release your powers," he said. "But it appears I was mistaken." Mentira giggled at his comments, and in a flash appeared right in front of him, his claws grasping Ryuken's right arm.

"You weren't mistaken at all!" Mentira exclaimed. "Despite my appearance, I really am a blood thirsty monster!" Ryuken screamed out as the Arrancar took a huge chunk out of his right arm and began munching it down. Ryuken managed to fire an arrow that pushed Mentira away from his body but the damage had been done. His right arm now hung limply by his side. Ryuken watched with disgust as he saw Mentira devour his arm. Blood had now formed a pool under his feet.

"Monster, your actions prove that you hollows are nothing more than mindless creatures that deserve to be destroyed," Ryuken said.

"Oh, I'm more than just a mindless creature," Mentira sneered. "Watch this!" He summoned what appeared to be a ball of fireworks in his right hand and threw it at Ryuken. Ryuken easily dodged it, but the ball slammed into an adjacent house and exploded into a massive fireball. At first Ryuken wasn't affected, until he sensed the spiritual pressures that were present inside that house-they belonged to Arisawa Tatsuki other former schoolmates of his son. _No! _He cried.

"Ha, ha, judging by that expression on your face, I'm guessing I managed to kill someone close to you with my fireworks," Mentira laughed. "Here, try some more!" He summoned a dozen more of the bombs. Ryuken wasn't prepared to let him go on any further. He cast Ransotengai over his entire body, using the spirit threads scattered all around him to completely rebuild his injured arm and shoulder, restoring them to normal. He then whispered a command to his familiar. "_Eintracht aus Geist"_. The great eagle dissipated into spirit particles, which subsequently bonded with Ryuken. His body shimmered as it was engulfed with reiatsu. Spirit threads appeared and joined together, solidifying until they formed a shining blue armour that covered his entire torso. Mentira gasped in surprise. Ryuken's bow had changed shape as well. Now it was more like a cannon, floating between both of his arms. He gripped the cannon with both hands, and instantly started to collect spirit energy from the surrounding around him.

"This is Obliterator, my most powerful move," Ryuken explained. "I fuse with my familiar along with all of the combined spirit threads in a five mile radius. It is the ultimate form of Ransotengai, turning the spirit energy I gather into an indestructible armour for myself and transforming my bow into the ultimate hollow destroying weapon. I have only needed to use this once before. It is unfortunate that you shall be the victim of it. You cannot block it, you cannot run away, it will annihilate you so completely that will effectively cease to exist." Mentira was now visibly panicking, utterly fearing for his life.

"No way! I won't die! I'll kill you with these before you can fire that thing!" he screamed as he threw all of the bombs at Ryuken. They exploded into a gigantic fireball that condensed into a miniature mushroom cloud. Mentira cowered to protect himself from the force of the blast. However, when the blast dissipated, Ryuken was still standing, completely unaffected. Mentira gasped.

"NO!! This cannot be!!"

"Sayonara, Arrancar," Ryuken said as he fired a giant bolt of spirit energy from the cannon. It barreled straight into Mentira and utterly consumed him. The Arrancar didn't even have time to scream as his body was reduced down to atomic level. Ryuken watched the bolt soar into the night sky, before it exploded in a brilliant flash of light. He sighed with regret as he released the armour and the Ransotengai. At once the pain in his shoulder and arm returned. Fighting it off, he quickly ran off in the direction of Tatsuki's house, hoping to save the lives of the people trapped inside.

* * *

By the time the last battle in Tokyo city was over, it was already approaching dawn. At the same time in Soul Society, the great revolution was in full swing. Hundreds of liberated Shinigami hunted down and slew their accursed Tengu and Akuma oppressors, whilst in various locations, the formerly imprisoned captains fought against the remaining royal guards. Muguruma Kensei and his former Vice Captain Kuna Mashiro dodged and weaved as their opponent, the child royal guard Ajisuke, rained down lightning bolts at them. Kensei had forced him to release his Bankai after his own Tachikaze, combined with Mashiro's Kuritetto nearly killed him. Mashiro's Zanpakto was especially deadly, literally releasing a swarm of crickets that started devouring Ajisuke's reiatsu. The royal guard was now riding upon a brilliant white Pegasus, its hooves crackling with electricity, and its wings pulsing with yellow light. Ajisuke himself was now holding a ten foot long yellow lance in his hands. His face was pockmarked with bites and scratches.

"It's over traitors!" Ajisuke exclaimed. "Go get them, Akarui Tenba!" The Pegasus reared up on its hind legs, flapped its wings and galloped down at Kensei and Mashiro. Both of them avoided its hooves, but weren't so fast to avoid being slammed by its wings. They landed with a crash on the ground and took a while to get back again.

"Damn it, this kid's becoming annoying," Kensei groaned. "I guess we have no choice but to pull out the masks. Are you with me Mashiro?"

"Of course!" Mashiro replied. Kensei channeled the hollow reiatsu in his body and summoned his mask to cover his mask. His mask was unusual for a hollow-it consisted of a rectangular hood with two small eye slits. Mashiro pulled her mask as well, and hers resembled the face of a fly or a bee. Ajisuke was surprised by their sudden change in appearance, and by the nature of their spiritual pressures.

"What the hell are you two? Those masks look like hollows!" he shouted.

"Of course they are," Kensei laughed. His voice now had a monstrous echo. "We are Vizards, Shinigami who have taken on masked powers."

"I never thought such a thing could exist…you really are criminals aren't you?"

"We've heard that line many times before. We didn't choose to be Vizards." Kensei pointed his right index and middle finger, and fired two ceros at the Pegasus, punching fist sized holes in both of its wings. The Pegasus screeched and started falling. Ajisuke jumped off it. Kensei seized the chance to Shunpo behind him, wrapping his arms around the boy. Ajisuke struggled to break free.

"Let me go you monster!" he screamed.

"Mashiro, do the finisher!" Kensei called out.

"Right on!" Mashiro nodded. She jumped up and kicked Ajisuke hard in the stomach. The royal guard coughed up blood and then fainted. His Bankai disappeared and reverted back into its sealed form.

"Let's take this guy back to the 4th division prison cells," Kensei said. He and Mashiro let go of their masks and Shunpo-ed off, with Ajisuke and his sword in their arms.

* * *

At the same time, Sarugaki Hiyori and Aigawa Love were fighting a difficult battle against a rampaging Hamori. The royal guard flailed about wildly with his giant rake of a Shikai, Hayashi Seishou. Every time he swung downward he brought down a flurry of leaves that made multiple slices upon Hiyori and Love's bodies.

"Stuff this I'm sick of being cut!" Hiyori shouted. She spun her Shikai, Nyoibo around in circles until both ends caught on fire. She swung her staff at Hamori who blocked it with his rake. The fire latched onto the rake and rapidly jumped onto Hamori.

"Argh, I'm on fire!" he screamed. He started rolling on the ground, trying to smother the flames. Love seized the chance to pound him into submission with his Kurohyou, his twin gloves repeatedly punching Hamori, making huge holes in the ground as he did so. When the smoke cleared, Hamori was lying scorched on his chest, his uniform torn in several places. He struggled to his feet, blood flowing freely from his nose and mouth.

"You damned traitors!" he cursed. "How dare you ruin the serenity of this forest! You shall pay for disturbing it! Bankai!" Hiyori and Love jumped back as Hamori exploded with reiatsu. He was surrounded by a blue sphere of spirit energy that soon expanded into a shadowy object nearly thirty foot high. When the sphere dissipated, Hiyori gasped. The rake had been replaced with a giant walking machine, made entirely out of wood. It had a visible head, with green leaves sprouting out of it, two long arms that ended in gnarled hands and large swollen feat. Hamori himself in the middle of the machine, roughly where its chest was, and controlled it like a puppet.

"This is it! I'm going to exterminate both of you with my Bankai, Kyojin Hayashi Seishou!" Hamori laughed madly.. Before either Hiyori or Love could react, he swung the giant machine's right arm and slammed at Hiyori, sending her flying backwards. She skidded for twenty feet along the ground before stopping. She grimaced in pain, as most of her back had been peeled off. Hamori then attacked Love, sending him crashing into a tree. He soon got up again, with half of his robes gone and with blood dripping down his face.

"Are you alright Love?" Hiyori asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Love replied. "This is nothing compared to the hit Kensei gave me when he was a fully hollow."

"Speaking of hollows, let's put on our hollow masks and finish this creep off."

"Good idea." The two of them jumped into the air to avoid Hamori's Bankai attacks and within a second went Vizard mode. Hamori was surprised at the sudden increase their reiatsu and their freaky looking masks.

"What's with the masks? Are the two of you Shinigami who've messed around with hollow powers?" he asked. Hiyori charged a cero with left hand.

"You're absolutely correct," she replied. "We are Vizards, masked soldiers, Shinigami who have acquired hollow powers." She fired a cero at Hamori, who raised his Bankai's right arm to block it. The force of the cero was so strong that Hamori was pushed back, slamming into a tree, and toppled to the ground. The cero shot through the top of several trees before dissipating. He struggled to get up again and Hiyori could see that the giant machine's entire right arm had been blown off, and Hamori himself was bleeding profusely from a wound to his head.

"Damn you…" he cursed. "Eat this!" He stretched out his machine's other arm, which shot out a seed. The seed flew towards Hiyori, growing into a complex vine system that wrapped itself around here. Hiyori tried to get it off, but there were spikes all over.

"Urgh, I can't get out," she said.

"Now for the other one," Hamori smiled. To his surprise he couldn't find Love anywhere. Nor could he sense his spiritual pressure. "Where the hell is he? That guy with the afro!"

'Here I am!" Love shouted, smashing through a tree from behind. Before Hamori could react, Love pounded him with multiple balas from his fists, each one targeted at the royal guard's back. Hamori screamed as his stomach was pierced multiple times.

"Finish him off Hiyori!" Love shouted.

"Okay!" Hiyori replied. She extended out her Nyoibo and slammed it into Hamori's temple. The royal guard was instantly knocked out. A second later the giant wooden machine crumbled into dust, along with the vines that wrapped around Hiyori.

"Let's take this guy into custody," Love said, as he released his mask and sealed his sword. Hiyori nodded and did the same.

* * *

Yadomaru Lisa was having a hard time fighting against the royal guard Uzume, whilst at the same time trying to prevent Rose from getting intoxicated by the perfume from Uzume's Shikai. Rose still hadn't released his Shikai, and was trying to fight with a bare sword.

"Look out Rose!" Lisa yelled as Uzume sent a perfume plume at him. Before it reached him, Lisa managed to redirect it somewhere else by entangling Uzume with her Shikai, Sureibu Okami. Uzume wasn't amused at being wrapped up in leather rope,

"Do you actually enjoy this sort of stuff?" she asked Lisa.

"I do. I enjoy men and women to the same degree," Lisa smiled.

"That really disgusts me." Uzume broke out of the rope and flew at Rose, who was still half in a trance. Lisa called out to him again and this time Rose managed to catch Uzume's blade with his left hand.

"Sorry, darling, I don't have time for you to be seducing me," he said. "Ripple, Mizuyuri!" His sword transformed into a long and slender rapier, with a curved guard. Rose stabbed Uzume in her right shoulder, sending currents of energy through her body. Uzume screamed in pain and only just managed to kick Rose in the stomach to force him to withdraw the rapier. She clutched her left shoulder with her right arm, trying to stem the bleeding.

"You bastard!!" she swore. "I was honestly going to knock you unconscious and make love to you later, but now I see that you're just a jerk who doesn't deserve me sympathy attention. I'm going to kill you and that bitch of a woman! BANKAI!" Her sword rose out from her hand and swelled up until it became a gigantic carnivorous plant, sort of resembling a Venus flytrap. Its main head had a sharp row of teeth and its branches were full of two foot long thorns. It emitted the same intoxicating pollen from its mouth.

"How do you like it? My Bankai, Kaibutsu Murasaki Hane, loves eating Shinigami spirits, alive," Uzume smirked. Before Lisa or Rose could react, the plant monster was upon them. Rose was literally sucked into the mouth and screamed out as the plant gulped him down its throat.

"Oh no, Rose!!" Lisa gasped. She had no time to feel concerned, because a vine suddenly latched onto to her. It wrapped around her waist, its spikes tearing through her abdomen. Lisa coughed up blood as she was thrown about. _Damn, I'm going to die if I don't do something soon_. She almost blacked out from blood loss when the plant monster suddenly exploded from within.

"What the hell?" Uzume was shocked. Her Bankai was now a shower of gibs and ichor on the ground. In the middle of it was Rose, bloodied and covered in acid, but still alive. Even more, he had his mask on.

"Are you okay Rose?" Lisa asked.

"I am. Let's finish this girl off now," Rose said. Lisa nodded and put on her mask. In an instant her reiatsu increased enough to disintegrate the vine. Uzume was now utterly broken, desperately waving around her sword to fend them off.

"Get away you monsters! Don't harm me!" she screeched. Rose and Lisa Shunpo-ed behind her and knocked her out with two punches to her head. They then released their masks and sheathed their swords.

"Okay, let's take her to the medical infirmary and meet up with the others," Rose said. Lisa helped him to carry the unconscious royal guard.

* * *

On top of the Sokyoku Hill, the battle between the head of the Kidou Corps, Tsukabishi Tessai, and the leader of the royal guards in Soul Society, Futen, was heating up. Tessai was aided by his loyal vice captain, the Vizard Ushoda Hachigen. The royal guard had released his Shikai, Kamikaze, and was constantly bombarding them with blasts of wind. Tessai had multiple cuts upon his face and cheek, and Hachi suffered a particularly nasty blow to the face.

"Is that all the two of you have to offer?" Futen asked, floating high in the air. "So much for the heads of the Kido Corps. You haven't even released your Zanpaktos yet! I don't even need my Shikai to beat you." Tessai motioned for Hachi to come close to him.

"Hachi, I've come up with a plan to defeat him," Tessai said. "I need you to provide a distraction for me. Try to immobilize him with a Bakudou."

"I understand, Tessai-sama," Hachi nodded.

"What are you discussing?" Futen asked furiously. He sent a giant blast of wind at them, which they narrowly dodged. Tessai used Hakufuku to completely conceal himself and hid out of sight, which Futen failed to notice. The royal guard's attention was fixated upon Hachigen, who was firing multiple Hadou blasts at him. Futen fired mighty gust of wind at him, but Hachigen managed to surround himself with a shield.

"Bakudou no. 61 and 63, Rikujokorou and Sajo Sabaku!" Hachigen chanted. He cast two binding spells upon Futen, not only immobilizing him with six rods of light, but also wrapping him up with spiritual thread. Tessai seized the chance to come out.

"Hadou no. 73, Souren Soukatsui!" Tessai shouted. He fired an immense blast of blue spirit energy from both of his palms. The blast engulfed Futen, and tore a scar across the Sokyoku hill. When the smoke cleared, Futen emerged badly burnt, with his face and arms all blackened, and his clothes now covered in soot. Blood dripped down his face.

"This is it! You've angered me for the last time! Bankai!" Futen shouted. His Zanpakto shattered and turned into a gust of wind. This wind surrounded Futen and grew in size until it became a giant tornado spiraling into the air.

"Ha, ha, ha, feel the terror of my Bankai, Gouzen Teikiatsu Kamikaze!" Futen laughed. "You cannot escape it!" The giant tornado spun along the ground towards Tessai and Hachi. The two of them fired multiple Hadou spells at it, but they simply bounced off. Tessai tried to restrain the tornado with a high level binding spell, without much success either. Soon the tornado was upon them, and both of them were sucked into it.

"Hachi, hold my hand! We must stay together!" Tessai yelled.

"Alright!" Hachigen responded. They gripped each othet tightly as their bodies were mercilessly shredded by high speed winds. Tessai fired an unchanted Raikohou spell that managed to propel them out of the tornado. They ended up crashing to the ground.

"Are you okay, Hachi?" Tessai asked. His arms and legs had been bruised. Hachigen, who landed on his stomach, was relatively unscathed.

"Tessai, have you come up with any ideas yet to defeat him?" Hachi asked.

"I have. This one requires your Vizard powers," Tessai explained. "Surround the Sokyoku hill with your rejection barrier. I'll keep the royal guard distracted until you set it up. Then when it's done, hit him with Kin. "

"How would that work? The Bakudou spell you used earlier had no effect."

"That was because I misjudged where he was. When we were sucked inside, I sensed Futen's reiatsu in the middle of the tornado. He's controlling it with his spirit energy, and he's spinning around at rapid speeds. If we constrain him, he'll become an easy target." Hachigen nodded and got to work. As he did so, Tessai jumped into the path of the tornado and led Futen, who was inside it, on a carefully calculated goose chase. Tessai deliberately ran in a square shaped lap, staying within the area that Hachi's barrier was going to surround. After two laps, Hachigen succeeded in casting the barrier.

"Do it Hachi!" Tessai called out. Hachigen nodded and crossed his fingers.

"Bakudou 99, Kin!" he shouted. Two thick strands of black rope appeared and wrapped themselves around the tornado. Within seconds the tornado slowed down to a halt, and Futen suddenly became visible.

"What the?" he asked in disbelief. He was now completely binded by the ropes, unable to move. "This cannot be!"

"It's over, Futen," Tessai said. "Hadou 90, Kuro Hitsugi." Tessai ducked out of Hachi's barrier just as a giant black box filled it entirely. The black box stayed in place for a few seconds before dissipating. When it did so, Tessai could see that Futen can been completely shredded and was bleeding from a million cuts to his body. The old man started falling to the ground. Tessai jumped up to catch him.

"I'm sorry old friend," he sighed. "It was a shame that we had to be enemies." Tessai motioned Hachi to follow him to the 4th division treatment bay.

"Rukia!" Ichigo shouted. He had caught sight of her just as he neared the entrance to the Central 46's chambers. After dealing with the Tengu guards at the West Rukongai gate, he surprisingly encountered little other resistence. He figured that the most of the other Shinigami still around in Seireitei had risen up against the Royal Guards and their subordinates.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted back. She ran towards him and hugged him once they got close.

"Thank god you're safe," Ichigo said. "Where are the others?"

"They're just about here." Sure enough, Ishida, Renji, Kenpachi and a whole bunch of 11th division members showed up at the door.

"Whoa, so many people!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Yeah, the whole gang's here," Renji said.

"Ichigo, what happened to Chad?" Ishida asked.

"I knocked him out, but he'll live. I asked Ganju to take care of him," Ichigo replied.

"Let's not waste time," Kenpachi said. "Why don't we bust down this door and make the cowardly stooges inside suffer?" They all agreed. With a few mightly slashes the entire door was smashed open. As a group, they charged across the open grounds, taking down the few random guards who were still about. Through the doors and down the stairs they want until they reached the inner chambers of the Central 46.

"What's this? Intruders!" the shadowly members of the Central 46, hiding behind screens, all shouted. "Guards, kill them!" Two hundred or so Tengu and Akuma soldiers streamed into the chambers. But Ichigo's group numbered at least twenty, and each of them was more than capable of taking down multiple guards. In a brief but quite bloody battle, more than a hundred of the guards were cut down. The rest either surrendered or fled. Seeing that their only means for protection was gone, the members of Central 46 tried to flee as well. But from the other exits came more Shinigami. Ichigo recognized their faces. They were the Vizards and Tessai, bloodied but still in one piece. With all of their means of escape blocked, the Central 46 had no choice but to surrender.

"It's over, we've won!" Ichigo exclaimed. Just at that moment, the alarm bells went off.

"What's this alarm for?" Rukia asked.

"The official Senkaimon gate is opening!" Tessai exclaimed. "Ichigo, take your group and head for the gate immediately! The Vizards and I will handle these prisoners."

"Okay," Ichigo nodded. He, Rukia, Ishida and Renji ran up the stairs and exited the headquarters of the Central 46. They climbed up the stairs of the Senzaikyu, where numerous battles between Shinigami and Tengu soldiers were taking place. At last after running across half of Seireitei did they reach the official Senkaimon gate. The Senkaimon gate was wide open, and coming through were the Gotei 13 Captains and Vice Captains who had stayed behind in the real world. They were followed by Isshin, Ryuken and Yoruichi. All of them bore heavy scars and bandages. But it was the people comind them that utterly stunned Ichigo. It was Karin and Yuzu with Kon and Chappy alongside them, in their plush doll forms.

"Dad! Karin! Yuzu!" Ichigo shouted. He ran towards him as fast as he could. "What the hell happened? Why are you all here?" He felt Karin and Yuzu's shoulders and realized that their spirit signatures were similar to his. His heart suddenly froze.

"I'm sorry Ichigo, a terrible event happened to us in the real world after you departed for Soul Society," Isshin explained. "A large group of Arrancars led by two Royal Guards invaded the city. In the process, our house got burned to the ground. I did the best I could, but I didn't make it in time."

"Does that mean that Karin and Yuzu are dead?" Ichigo asked. The solemn expression on Isshin's face told him everything. "What about my body? What happened to it?" He looked at Kon, who fell to his knees and started crying.

"Forgive me Ichigo! I protected your sisters as best I could, but then a flaming roof beam fell on me!" Kon wailed. "Your dad somehow saved me and placed me back into my doll, but by that time your body, um it…" He didn't need to say any more. Ichigo hugged Karin and Yuzu, who were drowning in tears.

"Nii-san, we're so scared!" Yuzu and Karin both sobbed.

"There, there, Yuzu, Karin, you don't have to cry now," Ichigo said. He looked up and again and to his shock saw the faces of Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro

"We shall have a thorough debriefing later," Captain Unohana. "Right now, we need to take the wounded souls to the 4th division medical quarters." Ichigo watched as his sisters and friends were led away. Despite having won an easy victory over the Royal Guards, Ichigo felt a deep pain of sadness in his heart. He had failed to be there for his friends and family at their hour of greatest need. He pounded the pavement in frustration.

The Battle for Soul Society and Tokyo is over! Ichigo and the Gotei 13 have managed to triumph over Aizen's forces, but not without suffering heavy casualties. Some unexpected people have died, and in the next chapter Soul Society itself will be utterly reshaped!

* * *

Notes: This was another difficult chapter to do. The ending in particular required a lot of planning. There are lot of new characters and Zanpakto names introduced, so I will explaint them all.

Mentira: A steed of the Apocalypse. This Adjucha arrancar, whose name literally means liar in Spanish, has a release called Charlatan, which is Spanish for trickster. He is able to summon powerful explosives which can level houses instantly.

Eintracht aus Geist: This phrase means 'union of the spirit' in German, Ryuken says this command to fuse with his familiar, to form his Obliterator armour. It's similar to Uyru's Final Form.

Kuritetto: This is Mashiro's Zanpakto. It means cricket in Japanese. When released, her sword turns into a swarm of crickets (or locusts) who can devour spirit energy.

Akarui Tenba: Literally meaning Bright Pegasus in Japanese, this is Ajisuke's Bankai. Like its name, his Zanpakto transforms into a brilliant white pegasus who can fling thunderbolts from its wings. Ajisuke himself sits on the pegasus and wields a golden lance.

Kyojin Hayashi Seishou: This is Hamori's Bankai. It means Giant Forest Spirit in Japanese. It's a cross between one of the Ents from LOTR and those mechs from the Matrix Revolutions. Hamori controls his Bankai from a central cockpit. Apart from swinging its branches around, his Bankai is also able to entangle people with thorns.

Mizuyuri: Rose's Shikai. It means Water Lily in Japanese. His Zanpakto becomes a long and slender rapier. Its powers are not yet known.

Kaibutsu Murosaki Hane: Literally meaning Monstrous Purple Bloom, this is Uzume's Bankai. It becomes a giant Venus Fly Trap that can devour other spirits whole and entangle people with its thorny branches.

Gouzen Teikiatsu Kamikze: This is Futen's Bankai. It means 'Roaring Cyclone Divine Wind". When released, Futen is able to control the powers of a tornado, which spins at speeds up to 300km/h.

Keep the reviews coming! I really want your thoughs on how my story is going.


	17. Chapter 17: Dawn of a New Era

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: The retaking of Soul Society, led by Ichigo and his friends, culiminated in a rebelliong across Seireitei, as the former Vizard Captains took on and defeated the remaining Royal Guards and then joined with Ichigo's team in storming the halls of the puppet Central 46, who quickly surrendered. Meanwhile, in the real world, Aizen's surprise invasion of Tokyo resulted in a hard fought battle as the captains of the Gotei 13, joined with Isshin and Ryuken to defeat an the force of Arrancars led by two of Aizen's most trusted Royal Guards. At last, the battles for Soul Society and the real world are over, but the the much longer reconstruction work has now begun. Not only do the Shinigami have to rebuild the shattered organization of the Gotei 13, but also find accomodation for the innocent people who were killed during the crossfire in Tokyo...

* * *

Chapter 17: Dawn of a New Era

Ichigo sat glumly in a 4th division recovery bay, watching over his sisters, Karin and Yuzu, who were now sleeping. After a thorough debriefing, he found out that virtually all of the people in Tokyo who possessed even a fragment of spiritual pressure had been killed. Most of them, like his sisters, Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro, handled the realization that they were dead relatively well. Others did not and consequently suffered mental breakdowns. Just then, Ichigo came to the realization that his life in the real world was gone for good. He had no choice but to be a full time Shinigami. Just as he was pondering the ethics of such a situation, the door opened. It was Rukia.

"Rukia, what's up?" Ichigo asked.

"There's a captain's meeting on right now. They're calling basically everyone to attend," Rukia said.

"Alright, I'm coming," Ichigo said. He grabbed Zangetsu, which was in its sealed state, and followed Rukia out the door. They arrived the 1st division offices a while later. When Ichigo entered, he discovered that all of the captains and Vice Captains, including the Vizards, Yoruichi and Isshin, were already there.

"Kurosaki Ichigo and Kuchiki Rukia, both of you have come," Captain Unohana said. "Please stand beside Kurosaki Isshin." Ichigo stood beside his father, whilst Rukia, aware of her complete lack of seat ranking, chose to stand behind them both.

"Alright, let's get this meeting started," Yoruichi said. She motioned Captain Unohana, who stood in front of everyone.

"As all of you are aware, Soul Society has been completely retaken. The Tengu and Akuma guards who surrendered to us have all been imprisoned in the maggot's nest, whilst the six surviving Royal Guards are being kept in interrogation cells for questioning. Aizen Sousuke does not yet know about what happened here, so for now we have a breathing space in which to rebuild the command structure of the Gotei 13, and subsequently, the rest of Seireitei," Unohana explained. "The first and most important decision to make now, is to replace the positions of the captains who have died and turned traitor, starting with the position of the Commander General. Any suggestions?" All of the six other current captains agreed that Unohana herself was the best person for the job.

"Alright, since the decision is unanimous, I shall accept my promotion as the Commander General, and formally announce my termination as the captain of the 4th division," Unohana said. She motioned a few servants to come and take off her captain's cloak. They replaced it with the 1st division captain's cloak, which was stored inside a locked chest. Unohana put on the cloak, fully announcing herself as the 1st division captain.

"Now, since the 4th division captaincy has been vacated, I shall personally select a replacement to fill that position," Unohana said. "Tsukabishi Tessai, will you be willing to accept the promotion?"

"Of course, Captain Unohana," Tessai bowed. He already replaced his Hadaka apron and servant clothes for a standard Shishakusho. The servants placed Unohana's former captain's cloak over his shoulder. He took his spot beside Byakuya and Soifon.

"There are six more vacant captain positions," Unohana said. "We must decide who the captains of the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 13th divisions will be."

"I have a suggestion," Yoruichi said. "Why don't we give Aigawa Love, Otoribashi Rojuro and Muguruma Kensei back their old positions? They were once the 3rd, 7th and 9th division captains respectively, and it was only because of Aizen's machinations they caused them to be transformed into hollows and banished from Soul Society." Unohana wasn't quite about Yoruichi's suggestion. She turned to the existing captains.

"Shall we reinstate the Vizards to their former positions?" she asked.

"I don't see why we shouldn't." Kenpachi said. "We could use a few extra fighters."

"It's not like they broke the rules of Soul Society," Byakuya nodded. "Aizen must have been controlling the Central 46 for the whole time."

"It doesn't concern me either way," Hitsugaya crossed his arms.

"They are fascinating specimens," Mayuri pointed out. "It would be worth while to observe just how much power hollowfication gives."

"If Yoruichi says it's okay, then I'm going with it," Soifon said.

"Well then, it's a unanimous decision. Otoribashi Rojuro, Aigawa Love and Muguruma Kensei, you are hereby restored to your positions as captains of the 3rd, 7th and 9th divisions," Unohana said.

"Thank you, Captain Unohana," the three Vizards bowed their heads. They too, had discarded their street clothes for standard Shinigami outfits, and each of them was given their respective captain's cloaks.

"Now, there are three more captain places remaining. For the 13th division, I personally recommend that Kurosaki Isshin be promoted to its captaincy," Unohana said.

"What, you want me to become a captain again?" Isshin scratched his head. "Seeing as how I got banished to the real world for committing a serious offence, I don't see why I deserve to be reinstated…then again, if you value my skills that much, I humbly accept your offer." He bowed and blew Unohana a kiss.

"You always have a way of doing things, don't you, Isshin?" Unohana smiled. The servants retrieved the 13th division captain's cloak and placed it over Isshin. With eleven divisions already decided, the chosen captains now arranged themselves in order, with only the 5th and 8th captain spots remaining vacant.

"There are still two more captaincies to go, and we have run out of former captains to fill those positions," Tessai said. "What do you suggest, Captain Unohana?"

"Perhaps we should nominate any Vice Captains or seated officers who have potential to be promoted to captain status," Unohana replied. "The chosen nominees will then undergo a captaincy exam to test their ability. Do any of you have recommendations to make?" She looked at the ten other captains standing in front of her. For a moment there was silence. Then Byakuya raised his hand.

"I have a recommendation to make," he said. Unohana motioned him to name the person. Byakuya turned to look at his Vice Captain, Renji, who had been standing silent the whole time.

"What, you've nominated me, Captain Kuchiki?" Renji asked, utterly stunned.

"Yes, I have seen watched your growth over the years and have felt that you are capable enough to become a captain," Byakuya answered.

"But, but, I swore that to myself I wouldn't leave your side until I surpass you!"

"Oh, you're still clinging to that vow? Well then, perhaps this will make things easier. Captain Unohana, I shall personally oversee Abarai Renji's captaincy exam."

"Very well, you may do so, Captain Kuchiki," Unohana nodded. Renji was still shaking at Byakuya's sudden announcement. They still needed at least one more nominee. Although he had been silent as the captains conversed amongst themselves, Ichigo was now visibly sweating. He realized that the only other candidate for a captaincy was him. _They're definitely going to choose me._ Sure enough, Isshin, Tessai, and Yoruichi all raised their hands. Unohana motioned Tessai to go first.

"I know that his person has never been part of the Gotei 13, but Isshin and Yoruichi, myself and perhaps the Vizards all agree that he's the only suitable candidate we have," Tessai said.

"And, who is this person you're speaking of?" Unohana asked. All of a sudden, Ichigo felt the captain's eyes locked on him.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Tessai said. _Shit I knew it!_ Ichigo sighed. Rukia, who had been standing behind him, felt her heart racing. She was in a mix of joy and astonishment at the thought of her two closest friends being promoted to captain status.

"Well, now that we have our second nominee, who wants to volunteer to oversee his captaincy test?" Unohana asked. A brief moment later Kenpachi stepped forward with a smirk on his face.

"I'll be the one to test Ichigo," he said. "I've always wanted a chance to have a rematch with him, to test how strong he has gotten. You don't have any problems with that do you, Ichigo?"

"Um, no, not at all!" Ichigo faked a laugh, although he was actually sweating nervously at the prospect of fighting Kenpachi again.

"There you have it. 6th Division Captain Abarai Renji and Shinigami Representative Kurosaki Ichigo, the two of you will undertake your captaincy exams in three days' time, in the Arena of Souls. They will be conducted by your designated Captain supervisor. Until then, you may both prepare for it. This meeting of captains is now over. All of you are dismissed," Unohana said. The captains and vice captains walked slowly out of the chamber, some with brand new promotions. Others, like Ichigo and Renji, pondered about what will happen to them in three days' time.

* * *

Several days later, Ichigo and Renji sat in a small room, waiting to be called out. They were right under a gigantic stadium, which was apparently located on the eastern side of Seireitei. They could already hear the noises of the crowd coming from the outside.

"Gosh, there must be tens of thousands of people out there," Ichigo said.

"Yeah, it's as if the whole of Soul Society is going to be watching us," Renji said. Just then, Rukia entered into the room.

"Rukia, what are you doing here? This place is restricted for spectators," Renji said.

"I know, but I just came to give you guys some last words of encouragement," Rukia said. She hugged Ichigo and Renji, giving both of them a peck on the forehead.

"Good luck, and don't get yourselves hurt that much," she said. She hurried back up the stairs, leaving behind a bemused Ichigo and Renji.

"Well, that was sure something," Ichigo said. Renji glared at him. Just then the door to the entrance of the main arena opened, and two officials belonging to the 1st division entered.

"Abarai Renji, it is time for your captaincy exam," they said. "Please accompany us to the main arena. Captain Kuchiki and Commander General Unohana are waiting for you." Renji sighed as picked up his sword and followed them out.

"Good luck Renji, I'll be cheering on you from here," Ichigo said.

"Yeah, right, as if!" Renji laughed. He winked at Ichigo. "See you later." As soon as he stepped outside the waiting room the door to the main arena shut again. Ichigo was left to wait his turn.

* * *

Renji could hear the screams of thousands of people as he walked up to the main arena. He looked up at the stadium rows, and noticed the captains of the Gotei 13 sitting in a big group together. He also spotted Rukia, sitting alongside the elder Kurosaki. Waiting at the opposite end of the arena was his captain, Kuchiki Byakuya, looking as calm as usual. Renji walked up to him and then looked at Commander Unohana, who was standing in the row immediately above them.

"Are the two of you ready to begin?" Unohana asked. Renji and Byakuya nodded. "Very well then, you may step inside the arena." Ushoda Hachigen, who had been maintaining a barrier around the arena, opened a small door for Renji and his captain to pass through. Once they were inside, Hachigen sealed the barrier again. Renji stared at Byakuya, the two of them twenty yards apart.

"Are you nervous?" Byakuya asked his vice captain. "You look like you're trembling."

"I'm not trembling; I'm just bursting with anticipation…" Renji answered "…at the opportunity to fight you again. Unlike our last battle, this time I will surpass you!"

"So confident are you? Just to let you know that I've been training myself these four years as well. So I'm stronger now than when I utterly crushed you during that battle."

"I know. I can feel your reiatsu. But I'm confident that I've trained harder than you have. Let's put the fruits of our training to the test!" Renji unsheathed his Zanpakto and instantly changed it to Shikai.

"Hmm, releasing without even calling you Zanpakto's name?" Byakuya asked. Renji didn't reply. Instead he extended Zabimaru at Byakuya, who leaped into the air. Renji quickly swung Zabimaru around and struck at Byakuya just as he was turning. Byakuya quickly unsheathed his sword to block it.

"Your Zanpakto's speed has increased greatly," he said.

"Of course! Here's my second attack!" Renji retracted his sword and extended it again, aiming for his captain's head. Before Zabimaru could hit him, Byakuya pointed his left index finger at Renji.

"Bakudou no. 61, Rikujokorou," he said. Renji was immobilized by the six golden rods of light as Byakuya landed on the arena floor. _Shit, I can't move!_

"Let's see how you deal with this situation. The last time we fought, you were unable to break out of my Bakudou," Byakuya said. He held his sword vertically against his chest. "Scatter, Senbonzakura." His sword disappeared into a shower of petals. Renji quickly surrounded himself with Zabimaru as the blades started pelting him. He endured the barrage for a while before Byakuya called back his blade.

"Ha, is that all you've got?" Renji asked as he retracted his sword again. "I didn't even a get a scratch. There's no way you could have killed me with this level of attack. Were you trying to hold back? Anyway, this Bakudou is nothing." Renji shattered the six rods with just a flex of his chest muscles. He then held his Shikai next to his scabbard, calling out, "Bankai!" A huge explosion of reiatsu engulfed his body, as his sword changed shape and expanded until it became a giant skeletal snake, with a red mane. Renji himself was covered with a baboon fur coat.

"Hihio Zabimaru," he said. Byakuya showed only a hint of surprise

"So you've brought out your Bankai. Show me its power," he said. "It would be a shame if you were let down by your poor mastery of it."

"Heh, you and I think the same way," Renji smirked. "Don't worry; I've put a lot of hard yards in to master its movements, as I will show you now!" He flung Zabimaru at Byakuya, the giant snake snapping at him with its giant fangs. Byakuya Shunpo-ed behind Renji, who quickly turned around and threw Zabimaru in the other direction.

"Here's a test of your ability to control your Bankai. Hadou no. 33, Soukatsui," Byakuya fired a giant blue blast directly at the bone snake. Renji saw it coming and split his Bankai into two dozen different segments. He himself Shunpo-ed _behind_ Byakuya and levitated all of the segments until they were above him.

"You want to know how much I can control my Bankai? Well, here's an example!" Renji exclaimed. "This is Higa Zekko. I separate Zabimaru into its individual blades and arrange them to surround an opponent. Each of the segments is mentally controlled by me so escaping is useless." Byakuya observed the blades hovering over him with curiosity.

"I see. You have mastered your Bankai's movements. Very well then, I shall hold back no longer," he dropped his sword to the ground. "Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Renji saw the thousand blades rise up from the ground and realized what was about to happen.

"Oh no you don't!" he shouted. He brought the blades down upon Byakuya, intending to surround him completely. The blades landed with a massive explosion. Renji waited for the smoke to clear, wandering if he had managed to land a hit. A few seconds later, all of the blades were blown away in a spectacular outward blast. Renji looked on in shock. Byakuya had surrounded himself with Senbonzakura, meaning that the blades didn't even touch him. Now Zabimaru was scattered everywhere, whilst Byakuya's Bankai was hovering beside him.

"You almost got me there. I commend you for that," Byakuya acknowledged Renji. "But will be able to evade my Bankai?" He raised his hands, sending the mass of pink petals flying at Renji. Renji hastily reassembled Zabimaru and Shunpo-ed madly to avoid being surrounded. But with the weight of the bone snake weighing down, avoiding a Bankai that was moving even faster than his Shunpo was impossible. He was soon surrounded entirely by Senbonzakura.

"Sorry Renji, but this battle is over. Gokei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya clasped his hands into fists. Renji could only watch as the wave of petals descended upon him. _Oh shit, I'm screwed!_ The dome of petals collapsed around him with crushing force.

"No, Renji!!" Rukia, who was watching from the third row of the arena, screamed out. She couldn't believe that her brother was going for the kill.

Byakuya released the Gokei and returned Senbonzakura to normal. It was then that he realized Renji was still very much alive. In fact, Renji had completely changed his appearance and reiatsu. The huge baboon snake he had been holding was bone. In its place were two sharp metallic claws attached to Renji's hands. His baboon fur coat had enlarged to cover his entire back, most of his chest, all of his arms, and also formed a hood over his head. What was more; the only injury on him was a large gash across his forehead that was bleeding heavily Byakuya stared at him in shock.

"Why the face, Captain? I did say I had already mastered all of my Bankai's movements. This is merely my Bankai's second form, Kyousei Saru, Hihio Zabimaru," Renji said. In a flash he flew at Byakuya, who raised his Bankai to block. With one swipe Renji easily tore through the wall of petals. Despite using both hands and Shunpo-ing madly, Byakuya couldn't keep up with Renji's speed. Eventually he dropped his guard and Renji succeeded in landing a slash across his shoulder. Byakuya grimaced in pain and leaped backwards.

"Very impressive. Your speed and power have both increased greatly, so much so that even Kageyoshi cannot keep up," Byakuya said. "Seeing how you have revealed your Bankai's second, then I shall do the same. Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." The swarm of petals disappeared and was replaced by an enveloping arena of pink swords, arranged in ten rows that completely surrounded them both. Byakuya summoned one of the swords to his hand.

"Senkei solidifies the petals into a single blade, explosively increasing its attack," Byakuya said. "Let's see how far you can go against this." Byakuya Shunpo-ed towards Renji, who did the same. The two of them clashed in a furious explosion of reiatsu, Renji's claws locked against Byakuya's blade. They traded blows for in air before another slash from Byakuya locked them together again. Sparks were generated at the point of intersection as both of them sought to overpower the other. Renji wasn't prepared however, for Byakuya to summon several more blades. He quickly leaped away but he wasn't fast enough to avoid the blades, which impaled his back. He fell onto his knees, coughing blood. He looked up and saw Byakuya's condescending eyes.

"I'm not done yet. I still have more to give," Renji said. He raised his right hand at Byakuya's left shoulder, and fired the front tip of his claws. Byakuya ducked to the side, but the tips still managed to lodge themselves into his left arm. A few seconds later Byakuya started coughing up blood.

"What is this? My left arm is becoming numb!" Byakuya exclaimed. He noticed his right shoulder was paralyzed as well.

"Surprised? The tip of Zabimaru's fangs is coated with a type of poison that paralyses a person's body. You won't be able to move freely anymore, Captain Kuchiki," Renji said, still breathing deeply.

"Very well then. Let's end this fight with one last clash. Shukei, Hakuteiken," Byakuya recalled all of his blades and concentrated them into one massively powerful blade. Two brilliant white wings grew from his shoulders and his sword was now shaped like a dragon. Renji looked at it in awe. He had never seen such a sight in his life.

"I'm truly amazed, Captain Kuchiki," he praised. "I'm ashamed to say I don't have anything to match it. So I'm just going to channel all of my spirit energy into my claws!" His reiatsu increased sharply, causing his body to glow an eerie red.

"Are you ready?" Byakuya asked. Renji nodded. The two of them charged at each other. As soon as their attacks hit, the entire arena area inside Hachigen's barrier was bathed in a brilliant light that almost blinded everyone in the stadium. When the light faded and the spectators all regained their eyesight, they were stunned at what they saw. Byakuya had stabbed Renji in the right chest, whilst Renji's left claw dug deep into Byakuya's right cheek.

"Damn it," Renji swore. He was slowly losing his grip as Byakuya slowly pulled his sword out of him. "I still couldn't…surpass you." He collapsed to the ground.

"No Renji, in my opinion, you already have," Byakuya smiled. His sword suddenly snapped him half and he himself fainted, as the poison that was in his body completely numbed his entire head and brain. For an entire minute, the people in the stadium were silent, utterly shocked at what had just happened. Then Commander Unohana ordered healers from the 4th division to enter the barrier and bring Byakuya and Renji out. Rukia hurriedly ran down the stairs and down to the arena surface.

"Nii-sama! Renji!" She cried as she observed them being placed on stretches.

"Please return to your seat, Kuchiki Rukia," one of the healers said. "Captain Kuchiki and Vice Captain Abarai will be fine." She watched them enter through a door which promptly shut.

* * *

Just then Ichigo saw the door to the arena open. His eyes widened when he saw several 4th division guys carry Renji and Byakuya on stretchers.

"Hey, are they going to be okay?" he asked.

"They will be," they replied. "We should be able to heal them within an hour. In the meantime, your captaincy exam has begun, so please enter the arena right now." Ichigo nodded and walked down the corridor into the central arena. Like Renji before him, he was stunned by the sheer size of the crowd. He walked around to the other side of the arena, where Captain Zaraki Kenpachi was waiting.

"Hey, Ichigo, ready to fight?" Kenpachi asked.

"Ready when you are," Ichigo replied. Commander Unohana ordered the two of them to step into Hachigen's barrier. Ichigo stood facing Kenpachi, unsheathing his sword. Kenpachi saw that his sword was in its sealed form.

"Hey, are you going to fight in your sealed form?" he asked.

"Of course not," Ichigo replied. "Shine your light, Zangetsu!" He emitted a bright flash of energy as his Zanpakto changed into its familiar cleaver shape.

"That's still not enough to fight against me. In fact, I don't even have to remove my eye patch to beat you at your current level." Kenpachi unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Ichigo.

"Okay then, want to prove it?" Ichigo asked. He Shunpo-ed at Kenpachi, attacking with a horizontal slash, which Kenpachi easily parried. They locked swords for a while before they parted. Kenpachi then Shunpo-ed behind Ichigo, striking at his spine. Ichigo quickly blocked it and jumped twenty feet into the air. He then fired a Getsuga Tensho at Kenpachi. The blue blast flew at Kenpachi, who blocked and parried it to the side with his left hand. He flew up at Ichigo and slashed at him multiple times.

"Come on, don't just stand there and block. Attack me!" Kenpachi yelled.

"Fine then," Ichigo sighed. He jumped ten feet further up in the air, swung his sword a dozen times and stabbed at Kenpachi's heart. Kenpachi just managed to block in time and succeeded in cutting Ichigo's right shoulder. Ichigo grimaced as a huge amount of blood spurted out.

"Is that all you could do? Not only did your attack fail, but I've now cut you," Kenpachi said. Ichigo just smiled.

"Chouseki Hadou." He fired a shining blue beam right through Kenpachi's sword, cutting a huge hole through his collar bone. Kenpachi fell onto the arena floor, clutching his chest to stem the bleeding.

"Nice, you actually managed to wound me. Now let's take it up a notch," Kenpachi said. He took off his eye patch and suddenly exploded with reiatsu. Ichigo, Hachigen, in fact most of the people in the stadium flinched at the overwhelming spiritual pressure that Kenpachi was emitting, so dense that it actually started to crush the spirits of several weaker spectators. _Man, his reiatsu is even more terrifying than last time…_Ichigo thought.

"Come on, use your Bankai," Zaraki goaded Ichigo.

"Fine, you asked for it!" Ichigo shouted. He gripped Zangetsu with both hands. "Bankai!" He was engulfed a huge plume of red spiritual energy as his reiatsu increased sharply. When the plume dissipated, he was in his Bankai robes, his sword having turned into a black nodachi with a manji cross guard.

"Tensa Zangetsu," Ichigo said. Kenpachi grinned.

"That's more like it. Now, shall we begin?" he asked. Ichigo nodded once. He stared at Kenpachi, holding his sword with both hands, watching for his opponent's first sign of movement. As soon as Kenpachi Shunpo-ed, so did Ichigo. They charged at one another and locked blades in almighty clash of reiatsu. Sparks flew everywhere as Ichigo grinded his sword against Kenpachi. The two of them then went into a furious exchange of blows, starting on the floor before moving to the sky, each blow sending shockwaves rippling through the barrier. After narrowing dodging a strike aimed at his eyes, Ichigo Shunpo-ed around Kenpachi in circles and fired multiple Getsuga Tenshos at him. Each of them was knocked away, but Ichigo managed to get behind Kenpachi and fired an unspoken Byakurai right into Kenpachi's chest. Ichigo wasn't prepared however, for Kenpachi to suddenly turn around and land a powerful slash across his waist. Ichigo screamed in pain as a massive amount of blood spilled onto the floor. He clutched his waist and hovered to the ground.

"Man, he's still fast enough to keep up with my moves…" Ichigo whispered to himself. Kenpachi also hovered to the ground, his eerie grin still visible.

"You've fought well Ichigo, but I know you're still holding back," Kenpachi said. "Show me your true power. I've heard about it before. You have the ability to use hollow powers don't you?" Ichigo's eyes widened; he didn't think anyone in the Gotei 13 other than Rukia, Renji and Byakuya knew about his Vizard form. But now, it was apparent that the secret had gone out.

"Alright, I'll show you it. Just don't say you're disappointed afterwards," Ichigo said. He placed his left hand over his forehead and started summoning his mask. In an instant he exploded with reiatsu as a towering column of red and black spirit energy surrounded him. The spirit pressure he emitted was so intense that nearly half the spectators in the stadium were almost crushed by it. Even Rukia felt the brunt of Ichigo's stifling pressure and struggled to maintain her composure.

"What reiatsu…Ichigo's going to destroy the entire stadium at this rate," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Isshin, who was sitting beside her, said. "Ichigo knows how to control his power." Rukia watched on as Ichigo was finished transforming. When the plume of spirit energy disappeared, Ichigo's face had been covered by devilish hollow mask, half of it red and white, the other half completely white. As soon as Kenpachi saw it, he started laughing like a madman.

"Ha, ha, ha! This is awesome! What tremendous reiatsu! Now, come at me with all of your power, just like last time!" Kenpachi exclaimed. Ichigo didn't saw anything. Instead he raised his left hand and pointed two fingers at Kenpachi. In an instant a giant cero shot out. It slammed into Kenpachi and completely engulfed him, before it dissipated against the barrier. When the smoke cleared, Kenpachi's robes had almost been blown off, and his entire torso was now severely burnt. He also had a hole in his stomach that was spilling out blood.

"Had enough yet?' Ichigo asked, his voice now having a guttural resonance.

"Of course not! I've been holding back as well. I didn't think I'd have to resort to this, but now it's time to use my Kendo on you!" Kenpachi yelled out. He gripped his sword with both hands. Ichigo remembered what happened when Kenpachi had fought the Espada Nnoitra- one single kendo strike was enough to slice the Espada in half. He shivered at the fought of getting cut by one. Kenpachi's reiatsu went up again. The entire stadium was now visibly shaking from the sheer amount of spiritual pressure the two of them were emitting. Now, everyone except the captains had been bowed over by the reiatsu. Even the captains were starting to get concerned that the entire stadium would be destroyed.

"Are you ready Ichigo?" Kenpachi asked.

"Ready when you are," Ichigo responded. A second later, they charged at each other. At the moment they locked swords, a truly colossal explosion was generated, one so powerful that the barrier surrounding the arena was shattered to pieces, and Hachigen, who had expended most of his energy trying to maintain it, was blown twenty feet away. Seats near the bottom row of the stadium started to crack and chip away, and many of the weaker spectators ran out of the stadium in panic. By the time the explosion died down and the smoke cleared, Ichigo and Kenpachi were still locking swords. Ichigo's Vizard mask had started to crack, whilst Kenpachi's sword was becoming brittle. They were about to go at it again when Commander Unohana raised her hand.

"STOP!" she yelled out clearly so that Ichigo and Kenpachi would both hear. "This battle is over. If the two of you continued to fight, you'd destroy the stadium. Kurosaki Ichigo, you've demonstrated more than enough of your capability to become a captain. You and Captain Zaraki should go to the healing bays for treatment."

"Uh…thanks, Commander Unohana," Ichigo bowed. He and Zaraki accompanied the fourth division healers back into the waiting rooms. The remaining spectators were allowed to leave, whilst the officers of the Gotei 13 accompanied Commander Unohana to the 1st division headquarters. At the same time, Rukia, Ishida, Karin and Yuzu all rushed down the recovery bays to check upon Ichigo and Renji. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon of Seireitei. Tomorrow, a new era would truly begin. As he was getting his wounds treated, Ichigo contemplated his future life, as a Captain of the Gotei 13, and as a normal Shinigami. He realized that since he met Rukia on that fateful day, he had already been in the world of the Shinigami. It was time for him to cast his mortal life away forever.

* * *

The battles of the Soul Society are now over! The Gotei 13 has almost been restored, with Ichigo and Renji promoted to captain status. Next chapter will see the remaining Vice captain positions filled, along with a shocking revelation.

Notes: This is was a difficult chapter to write. The first part was especially difficult as I had to figure out to orchestrate the sequence of promotions. I figured that Soul Society would have forgiven the Vizards as were victims of Aizen's schemes. Thus, reinstating them to captain status was easy. As for the status of Commander General, Unohana was the only logical choice, being the oldest surviving captain. Isshin and Tessai were also obvious reinstatements, but I chose to put them in different divisions.

Also, for the Byakuya vs. Renji battle, I had to make Renji put much more of a fight than when he fought Byakuya in the SS arc. Thus I powered him up and gave a new Bankai ability. Kyousei Saru means Great monkey, which is logical, considering his Bankai is called Baboon King Zabimru. Whereas his Bankai's first form resembles as a snake, his Bankai's second form would obviously resemble a baboon.

I've enjoyed all of the reviews so far. Keep them coming!


	18. Chapter 18: Seeds of Evil

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo and the Gotei 13 succeeded in overthrowing Aizen's Soul Society regime, defeating the seven royal guards and forcing the puppet Central 46 to surrender. As the long reconstruction process begins, the most powerful Shinigami in Seireitei gathered together to elect their new leaders. Captain Unohana was chosen as the Commander General. The Vizards, Tessai and Isshin were reinstated as captains, with Tessai given the 4th division and Isshin the 13th. In addition, Ichigo and Renji were nominated as potential captain candidates. Both of them were forced to take a captaincy exam, presided by an existing captain. Renji fought against his old captain, Kuchiki Byakuya, in a gruelling all out battle, and though he narrowly lost, he demonstrated powers far beyond what Byakuya anticipated. Then Ichigo faced Kenpachi in their long awaited rematch. As the two of them pumped out enough spirit pressure to cripple all of the spectators, Commander Unohana brought their fight to a halt and declared it a draw. Both Ichigo and Renji have now been promoted to captain status. The New Era of Soul Society has begun...

* * *

Chapter 18: Seeds of Evil

Ichigo stood in the office of Commander General Unohana, as several retainers fitted him with his new captain's robes. Ichigo had requested that his robes be loose at the bottom to allow space for his Bankai transformation, so they made the robe more like a cape instead. After he had been granted his robe, the retainers left and Ichigo was left to speak to Unohana face to face. Her former Vice Captain, Kotetsu Isane, had accompanied her across to the 1st division as her Vice Captain.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, you have been promoted as Captain of the 5th Division. Abarai Renji, whom I spoke to an hour earlier, chose to become the 8th division captain," Unohana stated. "Now, as you're probably aware, the 5th division is currently non-existent. Its former captain is of course, the traitor Aizen Sousuke, whilst its former Vice Captain, Hinamori Momo, is still undergoing intensive mental therapy. From the quick census that was conducted a few days ago, only thirty members of the 5th division are still in service, with the rest having defected to Aizen's Tengu."

"So, what you're saying is that the division I've been promoted to is completely defunct?" Ichigo asked. "What am I supposed to do then? I don't have much experience with managing a group of that size.

"Don't worry about. I've spoken with Tessai and he's agreed to hand over control of the newly reformed Kido Corps to you once they're fully assembled. The only decision you have to make is to pick your Vice Captain."

"You mean I have free choice to decide who my Vice Captain will be?" Ichigo was both confused and elated.

"Not quite. The reinstated captains of 3rd, 7th, 9th and 13th divisions have already requested their Vice Captains, as have the captains of 2nd and 6th divisions, who have replaced their vacant Vice Captain positions. Abarai Renji, the newly promoted captain of the 8th division, has also chosen his Vice Captain. Nevertheless, you can state your first choice for Vice Captain."

"Alright then," Ichigo took a deep breath. He thought hard about who he should choose as his subordinate. _Come to think of it, I'm not really familiar with any other Shinigami other than Rukia and Renji. Renji's a captain himself, so that leaves…Rukia._

"Have you made your choice?" Unohana asked. Ichigo nodded.

"I want Kuchiki Rukia to be my Vice Captain," he responded. Unohana raised her eyebrows.

"I see, not a bad choice. She is a suitable candidate, except there's one condition I must get sorted out," Unohana said. She started writing something on a piece of paper. "Isane, take this note to Captain Kurosaki of the 13th division, and send a request for Captain Kuchiki."

"Yes, Captain Unohana," Isane bowed. She was about to go out of the office when the door suddenly opened. Standing in the doorway was Byakuya.

"No need to ask for me, Commander Unohana," Byakuya said. "I eavesdropped on your conversation with the new Captain of 5th division." Byakuya allowed Isane to exit as he stepped into the room, his eyes trained upon Ichigo.

"Kurosaki Ichigo…or should I say it, Captain Kurosaki, I know you have requested Rukia to be your Vice Captain," he said.

"Yes Byakuya…I mean, Captain Kuchiki!" Ichigo stuttered. He had a feeling that Byakuya was going to say no. After a brief moment of silence Byakuya spoke again.

"I give you my permission to take my sister as your Vice Captain," he said, much to Ichigo's surprise.

"But didn't you want to hold back Rukia from being promoted?" Ichigo asked.

"I did. But now I realize that trying to keep her from harm was detrimental to her development and wellbeing. Captain Ukitake told me she felt useless as Shinigami, especially after her Vice Captain's death. I have seen Rukia's extraordinary growth in power with my own eyes. She is more than capable of fighting on her own."

"So, that means I'm free to have her as my Vice Captain?"

"With one proviso: never send her out on dangerous missions alone. If it's a high ranking assignment, you should always accompany her. Do you accept this condition?"

"I do. I'm planning on Rukia to help run the division. And if I'm sent on an assignment, I'll always ask her to be beside me."

Byakuya bowed his head and left the office, leaving behind a slightly bemused Ichigo.

"Captain Kurosaki, you may return to your division office," Captain Unohana. "I will send Kuchiki Rukia to you."

"Thank you, Commander General," Ichigo bowed and went out of the doorway.

* * *

"What the hell is this?" Rukia asked as she stared at the notice that the 1st division Vice Captain Kotetsu Isane handed her. They were standing in the office of the 13th division. Isshin, Isane's sister Kiyone, and Sentaro, had all gathered to read the notice.

"It's as it says in on the notice," Isane said. "Kuchiki Rukia, you are henceforth promoted to Vice Captain of the 5th division, on request from Captain Kurosaki?'

"Captain Kurosaki? Which one is it?" Rukia asked. She turned to look at Isshin, who shook his head with a bemused face.

"The younger Kurosaki," Isane replied. Rukia was utterly stunned. _Ichigo wanted me to be his Vice Captain?_ She looked at Kiyone and Sentaro.

"On come on, Rukia, this is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Sentaro exclaimed.

"But what about you guys?" Rukia asked.

"Oh don't worry about us," Kiyone smiled. "We've come to like Isshin's strange ways. Besides, it's been more than thirty years since Kaien-dono died. Isn't it time you moved on? You're become way too strong for a mere unseated member."

"Yeah mean, you're stronger than either of us!" Sentaro laughed. Kiyone punched him in the nose.

"Anyway, you deserve to be promoted to Vice Captain," Kiyone said.

"But, wouldn't it be better for me to become Vice Captain of this division?" Rukia asked. As soon as she said that, Isshin burst out laughing.

"Ha, ha, that's my Rukia-chan!" he patted Rukia on the head. "You think about others way too much. Don't worry, I've already picked my Vice Captain. Neither Kiyone nor Sentaro wanted to be promoted ahead of the other, so I chose someone else instead." Rukia was about to ask who it was when a loud shout came from the door.

"Why the hell did I get sent to this stupid division?" Sarugaki Hiyori, dressed in an ordinary Shishakusho, asked.

"Hey, Hiyori, good to see you!" Isshin exclaimed. He was suddenly kicked in the face.

"Good to see you too," Hiyori yelled. "And who are these two?" She stared at Kiyone and Sentaro, who both quivered.

"Um, Rukia, why don't you head down to the 5th division. I'm sure these four will sort things out almost themselves," Isane smiled. Rukia nodded weakly. She grabbed her new Vice Captain badge and headed out of the door.

* * *

Several minutes later, Rukia arrived at the front door of the 5th division office. When she stepped inside, she was momentarily taken aback. There was Ichigo, standing resplendent in a white captain's cloak. Apart from his hair colour, he resembled Kaien so much that the similarity was uncanny. She snapped back when Ichigo turned around.

" There you are Rukia! I was waiting for you to come," he said. _He sounds so much more mature…_Rukia thought in her head. She noticed that the entire division office was covered in white sheets and the whole place smelt of paint.

"What with this place?" Rukia asked. "Are you renovating it?"

"Yeah. When I first came here, I found the entire office completely trashed and covered with dirt and cobwebs. The rest of the division barracks is in a similar state. With Aizen being the bad guy and his Vice Captain apparently still deranged, there was no one around to manage this place," Ichigo explained.

"I see. Do you want me to help out with the cleaning?"

"Of course not. The old 5th division guys who were here are doing a great job with the renovation work. Besides, I don't you to get yourself dirtied."

"What does that mean? Aren't you being a little overprotective of me?" Rukia stood on her toes and stared at Ichigo's face.

"I can't help it. Byakuya ordered me to do so. He told me to never let you out of my sight unless I'm sure you can handle yourself."

"Nii-sama said that?" Rukia suddenly remembered about her brother's vow to keep her from harm. She forgotten about him constantly preventing her from being promoted.

"Don't worry it. I had a chat with Byakuya earlier and he has no problems with it," Ichigo placed his hands on Rukia's shoulders. _His hands…they're so warm_, she thought.

"Hello there, Captain Kurosaki," a brown-haired 5th division member walked up Ichigo and Rukia. "And who's this lovely lady?"

"Who are you?' Rukia asked.

"Oh, he's the former 3rd seat of this division, Taneko Minazawa," Ichigo explained. "He's a really nice guy. Minazawa, meet your Vice Captain, Kuchiki Rukia." The 3rd seat officer bowed and kissed Rukia's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Vice Captain Kuchiki," he said. Rukia felt uncomfortable at being greeted this way.

"By the way, Captain Kurosaki, I've got something to show you," Minazawa said. He handed Ichigo a plain video cassette. Ichigo was a tad surprised that such things existed in the Soul Society.

"What's this? It looks like something from the real world," he said. He read the name on the front label. It said 'Property of Hirako Shinji'. His eyes widened in shock. _What does Shinji have to do with the 5__th__ division?_

"We found it in one of the old cabinets. I don't know how long it's been there," Minazawa explained. "I'm guessing it was put there for the next captain of the division to see." Ichigo looked at the video closely.

"Is there a place where we can watch this?" Ichigo asked. Minazawa nodded and directed Ichigo and Rukia to a part of the barracks that was in lavish condition, with two beds, a couch, a desk and several drawers. There was also a small portable television with a cassette recorder attached to it.

"I'll leave you and Miss Kuchiki to watch the video by yourselves," Minazawa said as he showed Ichigo and Rukia instead. Ichigo dismissed him as he closed the door.

"This room looks like a nice place to go to sleep in, don't you think?" Ichigo asked.

"Yeah right, in your dreams!" Rukia exclaimed, realizing the hidden subtext behind Ichigo's question. Ichigo grinned slightly as he sat down on the couch and placed the video into the cassette recorder. As soon as he turned on the television, the face of Hirako Shinji, looking incredibly goofy with his bowl-cut and punk shirt, appeared.

"Ohiyo Gezaimas!" Shinji yelled out in his trademark Kansai accent. Ichigo and Rukia watched on with bemused faces. "It's me, Shinji!" Weird music played in the background as Shinji broke out into a disco dance. Ichigo was about to turn the whole video off when the music stopped and Shinji's face became serious.

"Ahem, that's enough silliness. Now, if you are watching this, then that means I am already dead," Shinji said. "After I have finished recording this video, I'm going off to confront Aizen, in a battle I probably won't survive from. I'm not really sad about dying. I've lived a long, fulfilling life." There was a minute's pause as Shinji lowered his head.

"The truth is, I've made a lot of mistakes which have led to disastrous consequences. I deserve to be killed for those mistakes, and in some ways, I'm going out to receive my treatment. But before I go, I shall tell you, the viewer, some never before revealed secrets. Namely, about Aizen Sousuke and his past." Ichigo and Rukia were immediately intrigued by his words and sat closer to the television to listen. Shinji began his story.

* * *

"It begins some two hundred years ago, at the climax of the Quincy Wars. Back then, the Spirit King and his family still lived in the Seireitei, and he had far more direct control over the government. That was also the time when the power of the Gotei 13 began to increase due to the near constant fighting. As the war was nearing a close, the Central 46 and even the King himself began to suspect some of the more questionable captains. It just so happened that an unprecedented assassination attempt took place on the King and his beloved daughter, the Sun Princess Amaterasu. The assassination was foiled by Commander General Yamamoto and his two most trusted captains, Shunsui and Jushiro. Afterwards, several captains were arrested. One was executed, whist the rest were promoted to the Royal Guard. The Royal Guard itself was ordered to move to an entirely separate realm to become personal protectors of the royal family, who removed themselves from the Soul Society. Of course, the real perpetrator of the assassination was never found. Some witnesses claimed that the assassin was an outcast member of the royal family. I personally encountered a suspicious looking young man at the scene of the assassination attempt. He had long flowing brown hair and devilish looking yellow eyes. I tried to conduct a search for this suspect, but soon after I was promoted to captain of the 5th division, and subsequently my degree of freedom was restricted." Shinji took a long pause before continuing.

"A few years after I became a captain, I took in a promising new recruit into my ranks by the name of Aizen Sousuke. He looked like a humble bespectacled nerd, but behind his façade I sensed incredible power radiating from him. Some aspects about him reminded me of the suspect I had seen years earlier, but I could never put my head around it. I still had my doubts, so I decided to chose him as my Vice Captain. He proved surprisingly competent in his role, and I could never detect any sign of disloyalty or subversion. We continued to this relationship between master and servant for a significant amount of years, as new captains were promoted and old captains left. Then, things all changed when Urahara Kisuke was promoted to the captaincy of 12th division."

Ichigo felt the skin on his back rise up, as anticipation built up in his heart about what Shinji was going to say. He saw Rukia was just as anxious.

"Urahara was originally the 3rd seat of the 2nd division, back when Shihouin Yoruichi was still captain. After the previous 12th division captain was promoted to the Royal Guard, Yoruichi recommended Urahara as a candidate. From the moment I first saw him, I could tell that behind his goofy looking façade, he had an incredibly deep mind and intellect, and a genuine devotion to the people he loved. Of course, he also had a tendency to go around the laws of Soul Society. Within the first month of his office, he freed all of the prisoners in the Maggot's Nest, including one Kurotsuchi Mayuri, and recruited them all as scientists in his newly founded Research and Development institute. Central 46 and Commander General Yamamoto saw fit to leave Urahara to his own devices.

"It was around this time that trouble started brewing in my own division. I received a new recruit by the name of Ichimaru Gin. He was just a small boy, and I heard rumours that he had passed through the academy in the space of a year. He was certainly a person I should have kept a close watch on. Alas, I allowed my attention to waver, a shortly after, my 3rd seat was killed in mysterious circumstances. His body was never found, and whenever I tried asking Aizen, he told me he had no idea what happened. For the next nine years, I kept my distance from Aizen, whilst monitoring his footsteps. In hindsight, I should've been more open with Aizen, and actively involved myself with the affairs of the division. For in delegating most of the management to Aizen, I allowed him virtually take control of the division under my very own eyes. I didn't find out about this of course, until that fateful day, a century ago, when I got turned into a Vizard.

"On that day, I received reports of some disturbing activity in one of the Rukongai districts. Apparently spirits were spontaneously combusting into thin air, leaving their clothes behind. Central 46 sent the captain of 9th division, Muguruma Kensei, and his top 4 subordinates along with his Vice Captain Kuna Mashiro to conduct reconnaissance on the scene. A while later, contact with them was lost, and messengers came in saying that Kensei and Mashiro were both felled in battle. I was sent to investigate the incident along with 3rd division captain Rose and 7th division captain Love. When I arrived at the scene, I saw Kensei had been transformed into some kind of hideous hollow/Shinigami hybrid. Hiyori, who was the 12th division Vice Captain at the time, was already at the scene, and had suffered terrible injuries. The four of us though were caught off guard when Mashiro, who had also been turned into a hollow, attacked from behind. Lisa and Kido Corps Vice Captain Hachigen arrived soon after, and with Hachi's Kido, we managed to restrain Kensei and Mashiro. Just as I thought things were over, Hiyori suddenly turned into a hollow and dealt me a serious injury. Then everything went black, and all I could hear were screams. By the time I could see again, Love, Rose, Lisa and Hachi were all down, and the one who had attacked them was standing before me." Shinji took another deep breath. It was clear to Ichigo that he was having reliving his past experience.

"It was Tousen Kaname. He was the 4th seat of Kensei's division. I asked him why he betrayed his captain. Of course, I should have known that it was Aizen all along. He had masterfully orchestrated the entire sequence of events. It was blatantly clear to me that he was also the assassin who tried to kill the Spirit King and kidnap Princess Amaterasu. I was about to wonder how he managed to maintain his façade for so long, when Aizen showed me his Zanpakto. I had never dreamed that a sword would have the ability to hypnotize people, and my shock was further compounded when Aizen revealed that the Vice Captain who had followed me around was actually a doppelganger. I had been utterly fooled by him, and it was all my fault. It was too late to do anything about it, for as soon as I tried to get up again, I started to turn into a hollow as well. The last thing I saw was Urahara and Tessai coming to the rescue, just as Aizen was about to finish us off. "When I woke up, I found myself in the real world, trapped inside a gigai, with the hollow inside me plaguing my waking thoughts. Before the two of us went into hiding, we discussed about Aizen Sousuke. We came to the conclusion that Aizen was after one thing: the Royal Key. Urahara agreed that Aizen probably tried to kill the Spirit King, and when the Royal family retreated to the king's realm, Aizen must have come up with an ambitious goal to obtain the Royal Key in order to storm the king's realm. His initial plan must have been to orchestrate a way to get himself promoted to Commander General and thus automatically acquire the Royal Key. Of course, once he realized that Urahara, me and the other Vizards were still alive, he ditched his first plan and resorted to building up an army of hollows to make the Royal Key himself." Shinji looked like he was finished. Ichigo was about to turn off the television when Shinji started to speak again.

"These are my final words to you," he said. "You must stop Aizen by whatever means possible. Find Urahara. He will show you the way." The video suddenly stopped and the screen went blank. Ichigo and Rukia looked at each other in complete silence. Neither of them could quite comprehend what they had just seen. Just then, there was a knock on the door. It was Minazawa.

"Did you finish watching the video, Captain Kurosaki?" he asked.

"Yeah I did. Do you have a message for me?" Ichigo replied.

"I do. Captain Abarai wants to see you. He's waiting outside the division headquarters." Ichigo dismissed Minazawa and accompanied Rukia to the front door. When they opened it, they saw Renji, dressed in a long-sleeved captain's robe, with a strange red fur coat on top it. Standing beside him was the Vizard Yadomaru Lisa.

"Hey, Renji, what's up? You look pretty pimp in that outfit," Ichigo commented.

"Why thank you for the compliment," Renji laughed. "Oh, Rukia, what are you doing here?"

"I'm now the Vice Captain of 5th division," Rukia said. Renji froze for a second. He regained his composure and placed his arms on Rukia's shoulder.

"Congratulations! I always knew you had the potential to become a Vice Captain!"

"We can discuss our promotions later. What did you come to see me about?" Ichigo asked. Renji's face became serious.

"All of us captains and vice captains have to go to the commander's office at once."

* * *

Shinji's shocking revelation! Aizen's true background and history revealed! What role does Urahara play in the whole saga of the Royal Key and the King's realm? Find out next chapter!

Notes: This was the chapter I've been wanting to write. Ever since I started this story I imagined that Rukia would one day become Ichigo's Vice Captain. Byakuya's acceptance was an important part, as I wanted to emphasise just how much his view of Rukia has changed. Shinji's flashback provides one of the most crucial foundations of this story's overall narrative. I've incorporated as much of the Turn Back the Pendulum arc as possuble, whilst including some exposition of my own, to flesh out Aizen and Shinji's backstories.

Thanks for the reviews you've given me. Keep them coming! I'm beginning a new arc soon, which will bring back a few familiar faces.


	19. Chapter 19: To Hueco Mundo

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, his friends and the forces of the Gotei 13, succeeded in reconquering Soul Society from Aizen's Royal Guards. In the aftermath, a new era begins, as the shattered organisation of the Gotei 13 is slowly rebuilt. After the former captains are reinstated to their posts, Ichigo and Renji undergo captancy exams and pass, and are ascend to the captancy of 5th and 8th divisions respectively. When Commander General Unohana asked Ichigo to select his Vice Captain, he requested Rukia. After a final farewell to the division she had been in since graduating from the Shinigami Academy, Rukia gets acquainted with the surroundings of the 5th division barracks. In the process she and Ichigo watch a video recordd by the late Hirako Shinji. Shinji reveals shocking revelations regarding Aizen Sousuke and his motives, from his early involvement in the assassnation attempt against the Spirit King, to his machinations that led to the creation of the Vizards. The video ends with Shinji urging Ichigo to find Urahara. Later, Ichigo and Rukia and summoned to a general meeting of captains and vice captains.

* * *

Chapter 19: To Hueco Mundo

Ichigo and Rukia entered the 1st division office, where the twelve other captains and Vice captains had assembled in front of Commander General Unohana. Both of them felt nervous; neither of them had experienced being a seated officer before, and as they entered the room, the weight of their new titles became apparent. Ichigo felt heavy wearing his long-sleeved coat, whilst he saw that Rukia visible uncomfortable wearing a Vice Captain bade on her left shoulder. The eyes of the other captains, most notably Byakuya and Isshin, were upon them.

"Captain Kurosaki and Vice Captain Kuchiki, please stand beside Captain Otoribashi and Vice Captain Kira," Unohana ordered. Ichigo and Rukia walked over to their designated positions and waited for the meeting to begin. Commander Unohana, who had been seated upon a large chair, promptly stood up and ordered her Vice Captain, Isane, to go and fetch some documents.

"Captains and Vice Captains of the Gotei 13, I have summoned you here to discuss the next stage in our war against the current Spirit King, Aizen Sousuke," Unohana spoke in a soft but direct voice. A number of captains visibly tensed at hearing Aizen and Spirit King in the same sentence.

"All of you should be aware of the events that happened four years ago, when Aizen destroyed Karakura Town and forged his own Royal Key. That allowed him to transcend to the King's realm and subsequently overthrow the Spirit King. Most of you should also know that the King's realm is made of an entirely different nature of spirit particles compared to Soul Society, and thus beings like ourselves cannot access it. If we are to continue the war against Aizen, we must find a way to enter the King's realm." Unohana finished speaking and for a brief moment there was silence, before Isshin spoke.

"Logically speaking, there are two ways to access the King's realm. Either you undergo a process known as ascension, where your spirit body is transformed into a higher state, or you must have access to the Royal Key, and use it to open a stabilizing gateway between here and the King's realm, like a Senkaimon. However, ascension completely strips you of any identity, and once you've ascended, there's no way of going back. Thus, the only logical choice would be to use the Royal Key," Isshin said.

"Thank you for the explanation, Captain Kurosaki," Unohana said. "As you have just heard, acquiring the Royal Key is absolutely essential. Aizen forged his own Royal Key, but the original Royal Key, the one passed down through successive generations of Commanders General, went missing after the former Commander General Yamamoto fell at the hands of Aizen. We need to find where the key has gone and send a team out to retrieve. Do any of you have suggestions?"

"Well, knowing the location of the key is easy," Muguruma Kensei. "Before Yamamoto and the others left for the real world, he entrusted the Royal Key in the hands of Urahara Kisuke, ordering him to take over the command of the Gotei 13 should Yamamoto himself not return. After he sent four captains to Heuco Mundo and took the rest with him to confront Aizen, Urahara suddenly disappeared. Before he left, he told me was planning to go somewhere. I asked him where he was going, but he refused to answer. His departure left us completely unprepared when Aizen stormed Karakura Town." Kensei's words stunned the other captains and Unohana. By all accounts, he was implying that Urahara had betrayed them.

"You said that Urahara left without warning, yet do you have any evidence that he was actually a traitor?" Byakuya asked. "Surely one of you Vizards must have known sensed where his spiritual pressure went."

"Actually, Urahara could have concealed his reiatsu using a specially designed cloak," Tessai added. "When he was still Captain of the 12th division, I saw him once wearing a black cloak and hood which masked most of the spiritual pressure. He must have perfected the design over the last century." Hearing this information, Commander Unohana turned to Mayuri.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, do you have any recollection of Urahara Kisuke developing such a device?" she asked.

"Why, I think I do," Mayuri scratched his head. "After he was banished to the real world, I came across experimental notes detailing a complicated device that masks the spirit signature of a being, making him move about undetected. I tried to replicate the design, but I could never get it to work. The best I managed was to design a camouflage device that allowed me to blend in with walls."

"So what you're saying is that Urahara disappeared without a trace, and nobody was able to track him down?" Commander Unohana asked Kensei and the other Vizards. They nodded in reply. Ichigo was having trouble containing his disbelief. Urahara couldn't have betrayed them, not after everyone he had done to assist Soul Society. He was about to speak out when another voice spoke.

"Wait a minute, I know where Kisuke went!" Yoruichi exclaimed. Though she was now Soifon's Vice Captain, her former rank and prestige still commanded enormous respect. Everybody listened to her. "Just as I was about to head for the real world to assist the other captains in the battle against the Espada, Urahara snuck up to me and said he was leaving for Hueco Mundo. I asked him why he was deserting at that moment. He told me that he was planning on rescuing the captains and Ichigo's group who had been trapped there, but I could tell that it was just a front. I made him reveal the true reason: He was going to hide in Hueco to prevent Aizen from finding him. At the time I didn't bother asking what that reason was, but after hearing Kensei's words now I finally know. Urahara must have taken the Royal Key with him to Hueco Mundo." After she finished speaking, everyone in the room was silent. They waited for Commander Unohana to speak. She thought deeply for a moment before she addressed them again.

"At last, we know everything that transported," Unohana said. "The immediate plan now is simple: A small team of highly trained Shinigami must enter Hueco Mundo and find Urahara Kisuke. Then they must bring him back, by force if necessary. Which one of you captains wishes to volunteer for the mission?" The twelve other captains all looked at each other. For a whole two minutes, none of them spoke at all. As he was standing there, Ichigo realized that everything was up to him. A Unohana was about to speak again, Ichigo plucked up the courage

"I volunteer to lead the reconnaissance team into Hueco Mundo," he said. The other captains looked at him with surprise. Rukia and Renji in particular were utterly stunned. Isshin however seemed pleased. Ichigo noticed that Commander Unohana was pressing him to give his reasons.

"Well, I figured that Urahara probably trusts me more than anyone else. I'm sure that his actions were part of a much broader plan to advance our cause," Ichigo said.

"Do you have any proof of it?" Captain Hitsugaya asked. "Or is it just plain speculation. The only ones who have seen him before he disappeared were Shihouin Yoruichi and the three Vizards. How can you be privy to his thoughts?" The heat was on Ichigo. As the youngest Shinigami in the room, let alone the youngest captain, everyone else had been observing his performance, perhaps wondering when he would make a mistake. _I have no choice then_, Ichigo thought in his head. He had to tell them what Shinji said.

"You see, one of the seats in my division found this video belonging to Hirako Shinji," Ichigo explained. "It contained a message that was recorded by him just before he went to fight Aizen in the real Karakura Town. In that video, Shinji told me everything about Aizen's goals and motives. He had also revealed that he had discussed everything with Urahara. I am sure that Urahara told him about his plan to go to Hueco Mundo."

Captain Kurosaki, are you implying that you have seen a recorded testimonial by the late Captain Hirako?" Commander Unohana asked Ichigo nodded. "Are you able to show it to us?"

"Of course," Ichigo said. "I can go back to my division headquarters if necessary."

"There is no need for it. You may hand it to me later. In the meantime, I am handing you responsibility for the planning and organization of the reconnaissance force. Find the other members of your team as soon as possible. Captain Kurotsuchi will prepare the Garganta to Hueco Mundo. You have five days' time. The rest of you may go back to your divisions and continue the rebuilding process. This meeting is over." At once, all of the captains and vice captains started to stream out of the office. As Ichigo walked out, he was accompanied by Rukia and Renji.

"What were you thinking Ichigo?" Rukia shook her head. "How come you always get yourself in these sort of situations?"

"I don't see any problem with it," Ichigo tried to explain. "Besides, we're the only people who know the layout of Hueco Mundo."

"We? What do you mean by we?"

"You're coming too right?"

"Oh hell no! I don't want to go back to that hellish place! Remember what happened the last time you went there? Renji and I accompanied you and in the end all of us almost got killed, only to be rescued by Nii-sama and the other captains. Not the smartest of ideas was it?" Ichigo sighed. Rukia had blatantly stated the truth.

"Look, the last time we went there was to rescue Inoue from Aizen's clutches. You and Renji both swore to follow me to the very end. This time will be different. We're just going to get in there, find Urahara and get out again, simple as that."

"Simple as that eh?" Renji asked. "Since when was entering enemy territory that simple? I know I'm going to regret this, but maybe I go with you to make sure you don't get yourself killed. No offence, right?"

"None taken," Ichigo said. "See Rukia? Renji wants to go. Trust me, I won't put the two of you in danger ever again. Once we meet Urahara, everything will be fine." Rukia sighed a deep breath and shook her head.

"Fine, I'll come with you. But you had better a few more people," she said. "The three of us aren't going to be enough."

"True. I'll ask Uyru if he wants to come," Ichigo said. "And I'll try to ask Kenpachi again. If all else fails I'll try to get Chad to come along."

"Isn't Sado still stuck outside Seireitei? How are you going to get him?" Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea how he was going to prepare everything in time.

* * *

A day later, Soifon and her now Vice Captain Yoruichi were standing in the interrogation cells of the 2nd division, trying to extract information out of the Royal Guards that had been captured. They weren't having much success. Of the six Royal Guards imprisoned in the cells, three were still in a coma. Another was just a kid, one was a depressed man who wanted to kill himself, and the third was a woman who kept on screaming of her hatred for other women.

"This isn't going anywhere, Yoruichi-san," Soifon said,

"I know Soifon. And I told you not to call me Yoruichi-san anymore. From now on, you're the superior," Yoruichi added. Soifon was about to protest when a black ops messenger came in.

"Captain Soifon, there's a couple of people standing outside the walls who want to come in. One of them said her name is Shiba Kukaku, and that they have a possible enemy suspect," he said.

"Oh, Kukaku! She's planning to visit?" Yoruichi asked. "Why, tell her to drop by straight away."

"She also had a possible enemy suspect right? Well, we could try to interrogate him for more information," Soifon said. The two of them nodded. Soifon dismissed the messenger and she and Yoruichi headed out to greet Kukaku. They Shunpo-ed from the 2nd division headquarters and across half of Seireitei, until they reached the gates ten minutes later. The gate itself was already half open. Jidanbo, reinstated gatekeeper, was holding it ajar, as three figures stood underneath it. Yoruichi recognized them at once. It was Shiba Kukaku, with her little brother Ganju. Standing between them with his hands tied up was a large human that Yoruichi realized was Yasutora Sado.

"Hey, Kukaku, how's it doing?" Yoruichi asked. She noticed Kukaku had replaced her right arm with an artificial one. "I see you've got yourself a brand new arm."

"Yeah, it was about time. It was damn inconvenient to work with just one arm," Kukaku said.

"So why have you come to visit?" Soifon asked. Kukaku pointed to Sado.

"That's Sado, right? Where did you find him?" Yoruichi asked.

"Oh, I was ordered to take care of him by Ichigo," Ganju replied. "He encountered Sado when he, Rukia and the others were about to invade Seireitei. The two of them fought an intense battle, and afterwards Ichigo somehow winded up near the cave I was staying in. For the past week I've been taking care of the big guy's injuries, whilst asking about where he had been. He wasn't in the mood of talking, but I did get the impression he had been a prisoner, or worse, a mere grunt of Aizen."

"Nice observation skills Ganju," Yoruichi said. "You may leave Sado in our care. We'll try to interrogate him to get him to reveal information about Aizen and the King's realm. In the meantime, you can wander around Seireitei."

"Thanks a lot Yoruichi," Kukaku said. She and Ganju were about to leave when Kukaku suddenly stopped. "By the way, what happened to Ichigo? I didn't see him when I sent his friends over in the flower crane cannon."

"Ichigo's fine. In fact, he's been become a Captain of the Gotei 13."

"You serious?" Ganju asked. "We've definitely got some things to discuss with him!" Kukaku and Ganju bid Yoruichi and Soifon farewell and walked deeper into Seireitei. After they left, Yoruichi and Soifon turned their attention to Sado.

"Now, what shall do with this guy, Yoruichi?" Soifon asked.

"I don't know. We'll try to ask him nicely. If all else fails we'll ask Ichigo to speak to him," Yoruichi pondered.

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia were inside the 13th division headquarters, trying to convince Ishida to join Ichigo's Hueco Mundo reconnaissance team. Isshin and Ryuken, along with Karin and Yuzu, were also sitting inside the office. Isshin had sent Hiyori and the two 3rd seats to take care of administrative matters.

"Oh come on Uryu, it'll just be like last time, when you volunteered to come," Ichigo tried convince him.

"The last time was different. Back then we all had a common goal and interest, and I came along because I knew you couldn't handle it by yourself. And you had been disowned by Soul Society. This time all you're asking me to do is to help you find Urahara, which is something I'm sure you can accomplish with Rukia and Renji. Besides, not only have you been endorsed by Soul Society, you're now one of the thirteen captains!" Ichigo shook his head in resignation. Ishida was being as stubborn as ever.

"Hey Ryuken, aren't you going to tell your son anything?" Isshin asked.

"Why should I?" Ryuken replied. He was about to light a cigarette, when he realized that the room was highly flammable. "Uyru is old enough to make his own decisions. He doesn't need me to give him advice."

"Huh some parent you are," Isshin laughed. Ryuken glanced at Isshin with a sly grin.

"Damn, this isn't going anywhere!" Ichigo yelled.

"Wait, Ichigo, let me talk to Ishida," Rukia said. She stared into his eyes. "I want to ask you a question: If you refuse to help us now, on a mission that is only partially relevant to the affairs of Soul Society, why then did you to join us to retake the Seireitei? That was purely Shinigami business. You didn't have to get involved." Ishida realized he had contradicted himself; the sweat flowing down his forehead was clearly visible.

"Face it Ishida you already crossed the fine line into open assistance with Soul Society ages ago," Ichigo said. "What's so hard about helping me with a personal mission? This isn't some task the higher up command ordered. I took it upon myself to find Urahara. Don't forget, you owe him a few times for saving your life as well." Ishida sighed deeply.

"I give up. You win Ichigo," he conceded his ground. "I'll help you find Urahara, but after that I don't want anything to do with the organization of Soul Society." Ichigo, Rukia and Isshin agreed, and Ryuken expressed his silent approval. Ishida and his father were allowed to leave, as Ichigo and Rukia wanted to talk more with Isshin. A few minutes after the two Ishidas left, the door to the office opened again. Ichigo turned around and he almost fell over in shock. Standing in the doorway was Kukaku and Ganju. He saw that they two had expressions of shock on their faces.

"Kukaku, Ganju, what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked.

"Isshin! Where have you been?" Kukaku asked angrily, her voice drowning out Ichigo's questions."

"Long time no see, my little niece," Isshin smiled. Ichigo, Rukia, Yuzu and Karin were now utterly bamboozled.

"Cousin? What do you mean Ojii-san?" Ichigo asked. His question somehow managed to confused Kukaku and Ganju, whilst Rukia, Yuzu and Karin were even more stumped.

"Okay, there needs to be some serious explanation here," Rukia said. "Karin, Yuzu and I totally don't get what's going on." They stared at Isshin with angry faces.

"I should have known this would happen some day," Isshin sighed. "Ichigo, meet your elder cousins, Kukaku and Ganju."

"What, they're my cousins?" Ichigo gasped. He could not believe what he was hearing. Rukia was stunned as well. Somehow the strange logic that was going on here made her connection with her former Kaien-dono all the more stranger.

"Well, well, a fine mess you made yourself, Uncle Isshin," Kukaku said. "Everything was going fine until you got yourself promoted to the Royal Guard, leaving elder brother Kaien to take care of the household. Then, twenty years later, we heard you committed an unspeakable crime, causing me and Ganju to be banished from Seireitei forever! A great slap in the face for us after brother Kaien so nobly sacrificed his life."

"Wait, Kukaku-san, I don't get a few things," Rukia said. "If Isshin is your uncle, then that means he once belonged to the Shiba clan."

"Of course. He was the head of our family for over fifty years. Until he mysteriously disappeared. So, after you got banished, you changed your name in order to hide yourself. It explains why I didn't recognize Ichigo immediately, even though it is painfully obvious now that he's everything bit like you."

"Oh man, I am so confused," Ichigo stammered. "So my father was the head of the Shiba Clan, and he was your uncle. Which means that I am your cousin-in-law…damn it Goat face why did you keep this all secret from me?"

"I couldn't help it. I didn't want to ruin your normal life. Likewise with Karin and Yuzu: Isshin shrugged his shoulders. "Plus I didn't want to get you involved with Soul Society."

"My life was already ruined when I was nine, and when Rukia came to my life I was already involved." Isshin stared at him blankly.

"Um, okay, it was for Karin and Yuzu's sake," he protested.

"We've heard everything dumbass!" Karin kicked Isshin in the face. "And we're as made as you as onii-san is! You owe us a big explanation."

"Alright, I think there's been enough jabbering about parentage and names," Rukia said. "Kukaku-san, Ganju-kun, what is the reason you two came to visit?"

"I totally forgot!" Ganju exclaimed. He looked at Ichigo. "I've brought your friend Sado over. He's being interrogated by Yoruichi-sama and Captain Soifon."

"What, Chad's been put under questioning? Why didn't you say it when you got here? I've got to see him at once!" Ichigo shouted.

"Relax, Yoruichi is also familiar with Sado. She'll be able to ask extract information out of him," Kukaku said. "Besides, I'm not sure if someone like him would be allowed to roam around in the city. You do know what's happened to him right?" Ichigo suddenly remembered his fight with Chad, and how Aizen had fully awakened the hollow that had lain dormant inside him.

"Oh yeah, considering that he's been hanging around with Aizen for four years makes him seem like a traitor. Okay, I'll speak to Yoruichi-san once she's done interrogating him."

"You'd better do it soon. We are leaving in a few days remember?" Rukia reminded him. Ichigo nodded with a deep sigh of regret.

Four days later, Ichigo, Rukia, Renji and Ishida stood outside the grounds of the 12th division headquarters, surrounded by all the other captains and vice captains of the Gotei 13. They watched Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri set up the Garganta to Hueco Mundo.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, you are the designated leader of the reconnaissance force," Commander Unohana said. "Your primary assignment is to find and retrieve Urahara Kisuke. Your secondary assignment is to infiltrate Las Noches to eliminate any Arrancars that are still alive."

"What, you want us to kill all the Arrancars?" Ichigo asked. He hadn't been told of this before hand. _Shit, Rukia and Ishida are going to be mad_. :"Alright, we'll enter Las Noches one we find Urahara."

* * *

The Garganta was ready after Mayuri put the finishing touches to it.

"Now, I assume you're familiar with the physical properties of the Garganta," Mayuri said. "Inside there's nothing but an empty void of darkness and sprit particles. Once you pas through the portal, use the spirit particle to fashion a pathway for yourself and follow it all the way to Hueco Mundo. Do you understand?"

Ichigo nodded. He was about to direct his group to leave when he heard a voice come from behind.

"Wait Ichigo," Yasutora Sado pushed through the crowd of captains and Vice Captains. Ichigo was stunned to see him, completely healed. His eyes no longer had the fearsome red glow he had when they had fought.

"Chad…you want to come too?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, I want to atone myself for the crimes I've done," Sado kneeled down in front of Ichigo. "Forgive me Ichigo. I was a fool for believing Aizen's words and for turning against you and our nakama."

"You want to seek redemption by following me again?" Ichigo was now severely conflicted. In his heart, he was happy that the old Sado was back. But in his head he knew there would be problems with Soul Society accepting him. He looked at Commander Unohana, who was consulting with Isshin and Yoruichi.

"Yasutora Sado, do you realize that your current status is of a reprobate and a prisoner of war?" Unohana asked. "As one of Aizen's former soldiers, there is no guarantee that you won't turn against Soul Society in the future. In addition, we have become aware of the nature of your powers during your interrogation, and it greatly disturbs us. Unlike the Vizards or Kurosaki Ichigo, your hollow powers do not appear to be controlled. Am I correct, Captain Kurosaki?" Ichigo nodded reluctantly. Even he had been shocked by Sado's true powers during their battle.

"Well, can he be entrusted to me? He'd be more of a threat staying here than accompanying me to Hueco Mundo, where I can observe any further changes in his powers and respond to them," Ichigo suggested.

"What do you think, Isshin?" Unohana asked.

"Let the human go with Ichigo. As they were once friends Sado might trust Ichigo more," Isshin said. "Just in case, we should send someone who knows how to suppress his inner hollow." He looked at Hiyori, who immediately glared at him.

"No way, I'm not going to that stupid place!" Hiyori exclaimed.

"Oh come on!" Kensei goaded her. "If you come along, you'll get to meet Urahara. He hasn't given you the favour he owed you yet right?" Hiyori was silent for a moment.

"Fine but you and Beardy here owe me a favour too!" Isshin and Kensei agreed. Hiyori reluctantly stood beside Sado. Ichigo took one last look at the other captains and Vice captains, especially his father, before he turned to look at Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Sado, and Hiyori.

"Are you guys ready?" He asked.

"Ready whenever you are," Rukia replied. Ichigo took a deep breath. Then he jumped through the Garganta, followed quickly by his friends. After they all went through, the Garganta disappeared. Commander Unohana wished them good luck, before she ordered everyone to return to their division headquarters.

* * *

The Hueco Mundo arc begins next chapter. Ichigo's group are on a mission to find Urahara. Will they succeed?

Notes: The revelations regarding the Shiba-Kurosaki family history had been planned from the beginning. I always thought there were similarites between Isshin and Ganju, and the obvious similarities between Kaien and Ichigo. I theorized that the Shiba famiy were well respected back when Rukia joined the 13th diivision. So somethng must have happened to cause them to be banished from Seireitei. Having Isshin being the former head of the family, and subsequently getting convicted of serious crimes was a logical way of joiing the two together.


	20. Chapter 20: The Lair of the Hermit

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: With the Gotei 13 having been restored to full strength, Soul Society has begun preparations for the next stage in the war against Aizen. The newly promoted Captain of the 5th division Kurosaki Ichigo and his new Vice Captain Kuchiki Rukia stumble upon a video left by the late Hirako Shinji. The video details the past history of Aizen and his true ambitions and leaves Ichigo with a message to find Urahara. Kisuke Shortfly afterwards Ichigo and Renji are summoned to a captains' meeting where it is revealed that the former Commander Yamamoto had passed on the Royal Key to Urahara. Ichigo volunteers to lead an expeditionary force to find and retrieve Urahara. Accompanying him are Rukia, Renji, Ishida, the Vizard Hiyori and the newly rehabilitated Sado, who has overcome the hypnotic spell that Aizen placed upon him. Together, the six of them return to Hueco Mundo.

Chapter 20: The Lair of the Hermit

* * *

Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Sado and Hiyori ran at full pelt through the Garganta. As Ichigo ran he was consciously forming a pathway made out of the scattered spirit particles in the dimension. Rukia and Renji solidified that pathway into something they, Sado and Hiyori could all run on. Ishida however was hovering beside them on his Hirenkyaku hover board, barely managing to stay with Ichigo and not shoot ahead.

"Hey, Chad, what exactly happened when you were with Yoruichi-san and Captain Soifon?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm more interested to know how Sado ended up back in Seireitei," Ishida added. Rukia, Renji and Hiyori stared at Sado as well, all of them interested to know what happened to him. Sado started to sweat nervously when he realized the pressure was upon him. He sighed deeply.

"Okay, I'll tell you guys everything, starting from when I was captured by Aizen," Sado explained. Ichigo and the others listened intently. "When I was brought before Aizen, I was still bleeding heavily and half-conscious. He used his Zanpakto on me, and almost at once I fell under his hypnotic spell. He somehow made me believe that you guys had abandoned me, and that convinced me that I was an outcast that didn't belong in the real world, Soul Society or even Hueco Mundo. After spending months inside a torture cell, I ended up losing it and decided to become Aizen's slave in order to get my sanity back."

"What about Inoue? How was she like?" Ichigo asked.

"She fared even worse than me, even though Aizen treated her very well. I don't know what Aizen did to her, whether he hypnotized, or just poisoned her mind with words, but eventually Inoue snapped and started acting like crazy. I kept on hearing her screaming about how she hated you Ichigo and how she wanted all of you dead. Aizen also made her dress in a weird fashion and she ended up referring to herself as 'Amaterasu' or something." Ichigo was stunned by Sado's last words. He had heard about the Royal Princess Amaterasu from his father and Shinji, but he never imagined that Orihime would somehow be connected. He decided not to press Sado about it any further.

"How did you manage to get into Soul Society?" Rukia asked. "During the last general meeting we all learnt that once you enter the King's realm, you can never go back."

"That's what I thought too," Sado said. "But then Aizen made me stand inside this strange portal. I felt my entire being get ripped apart and the next thing I knew I was in the sky of Soul Society, where I subsequently tried to kill you guys."

"Are you serious? Isshin never revealed anything about that!" Renji exclaimed. "If that's the case then couldn't Aizen have come down to Soul Society himself?" Sado didn't know how to respond. Ichigo was silent as well, but he had a feeling that Urahara had all the answers.

"Hey guys, the exit of the Garganta is straight ahead," Ishida pointed out.

"You're right, we're almost there," Ichigo said. He stepped up his pace and literally jumped through the portal, his friends following right behind him. As his touched the sands of Hueco Mundo once more, Ichigo sensed an enormous spiritual pressure nearby.

"Look out!" Hiyori shouted, pointing her hand to the east. They all saw a giant cero screaming towards them. It barely missed them all, smashing into the sand in a gigantic explosion. Having been blown ten feet away and landing flat on his stomach, Ichigo picked himself up and dusted the sand off his cloak. As he was doing so, he felt a blade press against his neck.

"What are you doing here, Kurosaki Ichigo?" asked a voice that Ichigo had many times before. Without turning around, he knew who it was.

"Grimmjow…" he stuttered. The former Sexta Espada laughed madly.

"I was wondering why a Garganta suddenly appeared in the vicinity so I went to check it out, and what do you know, I ended up seeing you and your friends!" Ichigo finally turned around and stared at Grimmjow. The Arrancar hadn't really changed since Ichigo last saw him lying half-dead in Las Noches. He was wearing a black version of the outfit he once wore, with a flowing blue cape that went down to his knees. The scar Ichigo inflicted upon in their first encounter was still visible.

"Are you after my neck?" Ichigo asked.

"I'd be delighted to have it right, now, but I'm more interested to know why you're here," Grimmjow responded.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted. She, Renji, and the others had been blown further away from the cero than Ichigo had been. As they got closer, they readied their weapons.

"Wait, don't make any sudden movements!" Ichigo called out. "We're not seeking a fight here."

"You're not? Then why have you come here?" Grimmjow asked.

"We're here to find Urahara Kisuke," Ichigo said, Grimmjow burst out laughing again.

"Ha, ha, ha, you're after that sandal hat hermit? Unbelievable! He must have gone insane already, living with those hollows."

"Tell me where he is. I know that you've seen him."

"Why should I?" Ichigo tensed at Grimmjow's words. He was about to place his hand on his sword, when Grimmjow was suddenly slammed in the back. He slammed into Ichigo and the two of them skidded along the sand on top of each other. Ichigo hastily pushed Grimmjow away and was about to get up when his face was literally squashed by a pair of massive breasts.

"Ichigo!" shouted another voice that was familiar to him. It was Nel. Her voice was much deeper and less childlike than before, and since he was being squashed by her massive chest, Ichigo knew that she was in her adult form.

"I'm so happy to see you again, Ichigo," Nel sounded like she was crying,

"Yeah, so am I, but would you first stop suffocating me with your breasts!" Ichigo exclaimed. Nel removed her chest and allowed Ichigo to stand up again. He noticed that Renji, Ishida and Hiyori were laughing at him, whilst Rukia and Sado were blushing all over. He looked at Nel closely. Her mask had somehow repaired itself and resembled an elegant goat helmet. She was a wearing a green tank top and hot pants, echoing the torn robes she once wore.

"Are you permanently back to your adult form?" he asked.

"Yep! Although I do miss the times when I was a kid. It was like growing up all over again," Nel replied "Before you appeared out of nowhere, I was just talking to my Fraccion about my good old days." Before Ichigo could ask Nel about her Fraccion, he heard screams from Renji and Ishida. When he turned around he saw them being crushed by Dondochakka and Pesche respectively. Standing behind them was an Arrancar with an afro that he didn't recognize and the giant sand worm, Bawabawa.

"So, the gang's all here right?" Ichigo asked as he watched Renji and Ishida kick Dondochakka and Pesche off. Nel nodded

"Enough with the pleasantries," Grimmjow said, placing his right hand on Nel's shoulder. "Nel is my bitch now. I get to order her around, because I'm the King!"

"Whatever. Just show us where Urahara has gone," Ichigo said. Nel urged all of them to climb onto Bawabawa. The giant sand worm slithered across the sand until it reached a large cave.

"This is the most accessible entrance to the Menos Forest. That sandal hat person you're looking for is hiding in a den somewhere inside the forest," Nel explained.

"How are we going to find it though?" Rukia asked. "That place is humongous."

"Don't worry, Ashido will show you the way," Nel replied. Rukia suddenly felt excited at the mention of Ashido.

"He's still alive? That's great!" Rukia exclaimed. "Ichigo, let me come with you."

"Okay, but what about the others? I'm starting to think we don't need that many people to search for Urahara," Ichigo said,

'True, you and Rukia should be enough to find Urahara," Renji pondered.

"Then what about us?" Ishida asked. "Are we going to stay here until they come back?" Ichigo remembered something that Commander General Unohana had instructed him to do.

"Guys, I have an idea," he suggested. "Grimmjow, are there any more Arrancars living in Las Noches?"

"What do you think? Of course there are!" Grimmjow shouted. "If they were all dead I'd be living inside there lording it like a King instead of wandering around in this barren wasteland! Curse Aizen for replacing the Espada for a brand new bunch of stooges."

" You mean those 'Horsemen of the Apocalypse' that the guys in the real world encountered?" Hiyori asked. "How many of them are there?"

"At least six," Nel said. "Two of the them are Vasto Lordes. The rest of them Adjuchas. Grimmjow and I have gotten much stronger but by ourselves we stand no chance against them."

"Alright, it's settled," Renji said. "We'll accompany you, Grimmjow and your nakama into Las Noches and eliminate those Arrancars. Ichigo, you and Rukia can find us once you find Urahara. We'll waiting for you at Aizen's throne room."

"That's fine with me," Ichigo said. "Good luck and take care you guys." Ichigo and Rukia waved at Renji and the others as they watched the giant sand worm disappear over the horizon.

* * *

"Well, I never thought we'd have to go back in here again," Ichigo said.

"I know, I know," Rukia nodded. "Let's hope we find Ashido quickly." They entered the cave and walked down a rather steep slope. The tunnel was filled with hollows of all shapes and sizes. Ichigo and Rukia cut through as many of them as they could and ran as fast they could until the tunnel opened out into a much larger cavern. As Ichigo and Rukia stood at the edge of a steep cliff that plummeted many hundreds of feet below, they saw a legion of Gillians marching towards them.

"This is bad, we have no choice but to kill them all," Ichigo said.

"That would take too long! Let's try to find away to get past them," Rukia said. She leaped off the cliff towards the Gillians. Ichigo had no choice but to follow. They dodged a stream of ceros fired at them and Shunpo-ed dozens of times until they had gotten clear of the mass of Gillians.

"We managed to get past them," Rukia said. "Now we have to find Ashido."

"You mean Urahara right?" Ichigo asked. "Face it Rukia, right now we don't have a chance of finding either of them in this hellish place."

"We could just lock onto to their spiritual pressures.".

"That's a good idea, except I'm not familiar with Ashido's signature,"

"Don't worry, I've got him already." Rukia motioned to Ichigo to follow her. They Shunpo-ed across the tree branches. As they ran, their spiritual pressures drew in numerous hollows, attracted to their signatures like hungry animals. Most swarmed around the base of the trees, but they were of no concern to Ichigo., A greater danger appeared in the skies; giant flying hollows, swooping in like birds of prey.

"Rukia, watch out!" Ichigo yelled out. Rukia failed to react. A flying hollow snatched her by its claws and carried her away.

"Ichigo!" Rukia shouted

"Damn it!" Ichigo swore. He fired a giant Getsuga Tensho at the hollow, slicing it two. Unfortunately, Ichigo underestimated the strength of his attack. As soon as he hit the hollow, it dropped Rukia. He flew down as fast as he could, but Rukia was falling too fast. _I'm not going to make it…Rukia!_ Just as Rukia was about to hit the ground, a red blur swooped out of nowhere and carried her to safety. Ichigo blinked several times to make sure he wasn't seeing things A he dropped down, he saw the person who had saved Rukia. It was Ashido, or at least, how he remembered him from four years ago. His face now bore a scar down his right cheek, and he no longer had his fur coat.

"Ashido?" Rukia asked as she opened her eyes. She saw that she was in his arms.

"It's been a long time, Rukia," Ashido said. "How have you been?"

"I'm okay. What about you? You've got scar on your cheek!" She ran her fingers down his face.

"I got it shortly after I helped you escape from the menos forest," Ashido looked at Ichigo and raised his eyebrows. "I remember you. It's Ichigo right? You look different compared to the last time I saw you. Is that a captain's cloak?"

"Yeah. I've been promoted to captain. A lot of things have happened in Soul Society since we last met, let alone when you first entered this forest," Ichigo said.

"I know. I've talked with Urahara Kisuke many times in the fours years he's been living inside this forest. He told me what's really happened with Soul Society." Ashido bowed his head in shame. Ichigo imagined that two hundreds of lost history must be weighing heavily on his mind.

"Don't feel so glum Ashido," Rukia said as she was lowered to the ground. "You've served Soul Society well by keeping guard in Hueco Mundo. Without you, I don't think we'd be able to find Urahara."

"Speaking of finding Urahara, can you show me where his lair is? I'd like to speak to him myself. You and Rukia can share stories together whilst you wait," Ichigo said. Ashido nodded and motioned to Ichigo and Rukia to follow him. They Shunpo-ed a fair distance before they reached another cave. There was a small rock path that led to a narrow opening.

"Here is the cave where Urahara is. Just follow the passage all the way to the end," Ashido explained.

"Thanks," Ichigo said. "Rukia, you can stay with Ashido."

"Okay," Rukia nodded. Ichigo bent his head and shuffled into the passage. The tunnel was quite narrow and Ichigo had a feeling his captain's robes were now all torn and dirty. He finally managed to shuffle out of the tunnel and into a pitch black room. He stopped and tried to feel the walls. The floor was surprisingly smooth, almost as if it had been paved. Ichigo suddenly bumped into something and swore loudly; he had hurt his big toe.

* * *

"Can you keep it down in here? You're disturbing my peaceful meditation," a familiar but at the same time oddly strange voice echoed in Ichigo's ear. Ichigo tried a simple Hadou spell to cast some light in front of him. The first thing he saw was the disheveled face of Urahara Kisuke.

"Argh!" Ichigo shouted, falling on his rear end as he was frightened by Urahara's face, which seemed like a corpse raised from a dead.

"Why, if it isn't Ichigo," Urahara laughed. "Are you that surprised by my appearance?" In an instant the cave was lit several lamps, making it much brighter, but also making Urahara look even more hideous in Ichigo's eyes.

"I apologize Urahara-san. I didn't expect for you to have changed that much," Ichigo said.

"Is that so? You appear to have changed yourself, Ichigo," Urahara responded.

"I'm the captain of the 5th division now.

"Oh, you've taken over Aizen's former division have you? Good on you. I haven't been so lucky." Urahara searched through some battered drawers to get out a bottle of water, which he poured into two cups and gave Ichigo one. Ichigo noticed his green cloak had been all torn up and covered with dirt, and his trademark hat was now completely misshapen..

"How come you've been living in this hole for the last four years?" Ichigo asked. "You abandoned us just when Aizen was on the cusp of victory. Why subject yourself to such miserable conditions?" Urahara handed him a glass of water and sat down on a dirty stone 'cushion'.

"I don't know where to begin," Urahara sighed. "I've made a lot of mistakes in the past, some that I haven't fully made up for, despite the best of my intentions. This time, I was convinced that keeping away from Aizen was the best course of action."

"Are you saying that it was all part of a plan? That sacrificing the lives of tens of thousands of innocent people was the best thing to do? Have you gone insane?" Ichigo was so angry he felt like strangling Urahara.

"Hear me out before you right, Ichigo-kun. I guess it's time I told you everything. All the secrets, lies and mind games I've done must end. Perhaps the best place to start is from the beginning." Urahara took a deep breath. Ichigo calmed his spirit and waited for Urahara to continue.

"I'm guessing Shinji has already told you about Aizen's true past," Urahara said. Ichigo nodded. "It might surprise you to know that Aizen and me, the two of us have lived quite similar pasts. Like Aizen, my childhood was shaped by the Quincy wars. I came from a minor noble family. Both my parents died in battle and I was taken under the care of the Shihouin family. I befriended Yoruichi and Tessai and we used to play together in the underground training room I secretly built inside the Sokyoku Hill."

"I know that already. Yoruichi told me about it when I was doing the Bankai training," Ichigo said.

"She did? Then she must have told you how mischievous I was. I always had an interest in experimenting with things and coming up with new inventions. Even after I joined the ranks of the Gotei 13 my nature didn't change. Because I was still part of the Shihouin family I was quickly put into the 2nd division and assigned to the 3rd Seat. I assume you know about the Maggot's Nest as well?"

"Sort of. I got the general idea of it from Shinji's video and from hearing the accounts of the other Vizards."

"Good, I won't have to explain things in detail. Needless to say, during my time as warden of the Maggot's Nest, I began to question some of the laws and customs of Soul Society. I was already disgusted at the conduct of some of the divisions during the Quincy wars, where hundreds of Quincies were literally slaughtered wholesale. But after the Spirit King and his family left, things really took a turn for the worse. The Central 46 had originally been a delegating body that merely interpreted the King's commands. But after the Royal family sealed itself in the King's realm, the Central 46 declared itself the sole governing body in Seireitei. Many of the laws I personally had to enforce heavily undermined my own conscience."

"What sort of laws were they?" Ichigo asked.

"Well for instance, do you think it's justifiable that any Shinigami who is considered to be unsuitable or is suspected of having subversive thoughts is locked up forever without trial or parole?"

"Of course not! In the real world, any government that did that would be considered a dictatorship."

Then perhaps you can see why someone like Aizen would want to change Soul Society, even it's for the worse. I tried my hardest to change some of the laws myself; when I was promoted to captain of the 12th division, I took the opportunity to implement some of the ideas I had considered when I was still as 3rd seat. The whole reason the Research and Development Institute even exists was due to me wanting a better way for the outcasts of Soul Society to make use of themselves."

Okay, I get what you're saying so far. You and Aizen have similar goals, even if your motives and means are different," Ichigo said. "That still doesn't justify the actions you've done so far."

"Alright, I'll get straight to the point. I'm ashamed to say it, but Aizen has been one step ahead of me for more than a hundred years. Tessai and I missed the perfect opportunity to catch him in the act just after he turned Shinji and the others into hollow/Shinigami hybrids. When I tried to rescue them by using the Hogyoku, Aizen somehow managed to frame me of the crimes he had committed. I was arrested by the Central 46 and sentenced to complete exile, stripped of my spirit powers. Yoruichi of course saved me before that happened."

"Whoa wait a second! You actually used the Hogyoku? Before he fled to Hueco Mundo, Aizen said you never succeeded in using it."

"I did. Just once, on Shinji and the others. It didn't turn out like I expected. I wanted to completely remove them of hollows. Instead, the Hogyoku stabilized their hollow transformations, turning them into Vizards. I realized how dangerous the Hogyoku would be if Aizen ever discovered its true nature, so during the last days before I fled Soul Society, I tried to destroy it using the means at my disposal. Needless to say, I failed. In desperation, I chose to hide it in the most inconspicuous soul I could find, in the most desolate district of Rukongai. The person who I placed the Hogyoku into was of course, Rukia-san."

"What, you placed that thing in Rukia when you were still in Soul Society?" Ichigo was astounded. "What if Aizen found her first?" Urahara sighed deeply.

"That was the risk I was prepared to take. I counted on Aizen not knowing about the Hogyoku, let alone that I somehow managed to hide it somewhere. At the time, Rukia was just a baby who had been abandoned on the streets. I never imagined that she'd be adopted by the Kuchiki family. Fortunately enough, Aizen was still busy doing experiments in Hueco Mundo to pick up my trail. But I knew that he was getting closer to finding it. That was why I secretly arranged with Ukitake for Rukia-san to go on a simple patrol mission to Karakura Town."

"So that's how she happened to meet me…you had it planned from the beginning!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"No I didn't. I was planning on being the first to meet her, but fate intervened and you ended up with her powers. I of course, took that opportunity to finally dispose of the Hogyoku for good."

"By giving her that reiatsu-sucking gigai right? What would have happened if she really did turn into a human?"

"I would have gotten her out of that gigai and restored her spirit powers. After all, your father was in one of those gigais for nearly twenty years, and yet I helped him regain all of his strength."

"Fine, I accept the fact that you probably had a way of restoring Rukia's spirit energy to normal. But why then did you allow her to be taken back to Soul Society? You could have intervened when Renji and Byakuya appeared, and prevented her from being incarcerated. Then Aizen would have never got his hands on the Hogyoku."

"Indeed I could have stepped in and helped save Rukia just like you tried to. I definitely could have defeated both Captain Kuchiki and Vice Captain Abarai, or at least forced them to withdraw. But do you think it would have ended there. For over a century I was basically a fugitive, with all high ranking officers ordered to kill me on sight. If word had gotten out that I had attacked a captain and aided another criminal, Soul Society would deploy its entire armed might to hunt me down. That would certainly be a far worse situation, don't you think?"

"I guess you're right," Ichigo said. "They'd probably raze Karakura town. And give Aizen an easy victory."

"Correct. During my century of exile I was sure that Central 46 was being manipulated and controlled by Aizen. Whether or he hypnotized them or was simply good at planting alibis hardly matters, the fact is Aizen managed to get away with countless crimes and malicious acts under Soul Society's nose. When I felt the appearance of Captain Kuchiki and Vice Captain Abarai, I was certain that Aizen had discovered the location of the Hogyoku."

"Yeah, he told me that he massacred the Central 46 as soon as he found out Rukia had it. Then he issued false orders for Rukia's arrest and execution."

"Now you understand why I didn't dare intervene directly. The last time I showed myself, I ended up arrested and exiled. I thought that using you as a proxy, guided by Yoruichi, would achieve the same or even greater success than if I had gone myself. My intention of course, was never to get the Hogyoku back. Aizen must have already discovered my research on the Hogyoku, so even if Rukia had been saved, he would have had a backup plan just in case."

"So, you actually wanted him to get the Hogyoku?"

"Yes, and then expose himself. That was the cornerstone of the entire mission. Whether or not Aizen succeeded in the execution, his deception would have most certainly been revealed as soon as he tried to get the Hogyoku. From what Yoruichi told me, Aizen switched to his backup plan as soon as you broke into Seireitei, which involved faking his death and hiding in the Central 46 chambers. That was his biggest mistake, for it alerted all the other captains to possible hidden motives behind the execution. I was hoping that once they discovered they had been utterly tricked and deceived, the captains who had refused to believe me a century ago would see the light."

"I finally get it now. Your overarching plan to rescue Rukia worked perfectly. I was never really mad at you about it. But you still haven't explained why you allowed Karakura Town to be destroyed!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, I rambled on too much," Urahara laughed. "Okay, I'll explain everything. It has everything to do about Aizen and the Royal family. Shinji must have told you that Aizen tried to assassinate the Spirit King, right?"

"He told me everything. Like how Aizen was after Princess Amaterasu so that he could become the new Spirit King. And then when he messed it up, he joined the Gotei 13 in an attempt to obtain the royal key."

" Yes. Even after he became a captain, Aizen still longed to be with the Sun Princess. That dream almost ended by an incident that happened some twenty years ago: The death of the Sun Princess. Your father has probably told you about it." Ichigo nodded.

"What he probably didn't tell you is that Amaterasu asked Isshin to take her to the real world, even though she was forbidden from ever leaving the King's Realm. Naturally enough, more Royal Guards were sent to retrieve her and in the process, she ended up dying. Needless to say, Isshin was to be taken back and executed. He went into hiding, and during that time, he met your mother Masaki. He made a decision to stay in Karakura, and so he requested me to give him a human gigai. Thus he started a family and gave birth to you. Now, you're probably going to say you've heard it all before. Here is where it gets interesting. Unbeknownst to us, Amaterasu's spirit had joined the sea of souls and was reincarnated into a human being. Normally, spirits who get reborn lose all semblance of their previous identity. Somehow, the human who was the reincarnation of Amaterasu possessed all of her latent powers. Only they lay dormant and the human in question had no recollection of her former identity."

"So you're implying that this reincarnation of Amaterasu has now regained all of her memories and powers?" Ichigo asked. Urahara nodded. "Where is she now?"

"She has returned to the King's Realm and is sitting beside Aizen's throne." Ichigo gasped. He knew exactly who Urahara was referring to, but he wasn't prepared to admit it.

"Who is this reincarnation of Amaterasu then?" Urahara paused for nearly a whole minute, perhaps trying to judge what Ichigo's response would be.

"It's Inoue Orihime." Ichigo had expected the revelation to happen, but it still hit him hard.

* * *

Urahara returns at last! What other secrets does he have in store for Ichigo? What were the true reasons behind his decision to flee to Hueco Mundo? All will be revealed next chapter!

Notes: Keep the reviews coming! I really want feedback on how my story has gone.


	21. Chapter 21: Nightmares in the Forest

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Renji and the others arrive in Hueco Mundo and are immediately greeted by Grimmjow, Nel, her Fraccion and Gantenbein, who have been banished from Las Noches. Ichigo discovers that Urahara has been hiding in the Forest of Menos. He and Rukia decide to enter the forest by themselves whilst the others head for Las Noches to cleanse it of the remaining Arrancars still loyal to Aizen. Once in the Forest, Ichigo and Rukia meet Ashido, who directs Ichigo to a cave. Inside, Ichigo finds Urahara living as a hermit. When Ichigo asks him why he seemingly betrayed them, Urahara reveals the full truth about his plans and the importance of Orihime...

Chapter 21: Nightmares in the Forest

"Inoue is the Sun Princess Amaterasu?" Ichigo asked. Urahara nodded. He took Ichigo's cup and poured in another glass of water.

"I didn't find out about this until after you came back from Soul Society," Urahara said as he sipped from his glass. "When she was training Inoue-san, Yoruichi noted her peculiar abilities. She presumed at the time that those powers were of healing, defending and attacking. But after Sado-san was critically injured by the Arrancar, I was astounded by how quickly Inoue-san had managed to heal what would have been normally a fatal wound. I began to suspect that Inoue-san's abilities went beyond mere healing. She could completely recreate matter out of thin air, even if that object had been completely vaporized, and she could revive people who by all accounts were dead. Such powers had only been possessed by one other person in recorded history, and that was the Sun Princess Amaterasu herself. I wasn't one to jump to conclusions, but I knew that Aizen knew as much about Inoue-san's abilities as I did, and would have come to the same conclusion."

"Is that why you desperately wanted her to keep out of harm's way?"

"Precisely. I knew Aizen would be after her as soon as he figured out that she was Amaterasu's reincarnation. That was why I tried to prevent her from fighting," Urahara paused for a moment. "But my attempts failed. Aizen had found her first, and predicted my moves in advance. Whilst my attention was occupied with the Arrancars that had been sent to the real world, he had sent an Espada scout to escort her to Hueco Mundo. It was the biggest mistake I had ever made in my life." Urahara slapped his hand upon his forehead.

"If you knew that Aizen had gotten his hands on Inoue, why didn't you stop me from going to Hueco Mundo?" Ichigo asked. "Aizen had planned on trapping me and the others there."

"I thought it would be a good way to distract Aizen's attention as I coordinated the preparations for war with the Soul Society. There was little chance that you would succeed, but I hoped you would have been able to whittle away Aizen's Espadas and weaken his military strength. Realistically though, Commander General Yamamoto and I both agreed that we could do little to stop Aizen from storming Soul Society. He probably foresaw his own death coming. That was why he entrusted me with this…" Urahara took out something from his coat. It was a small golden box. He opened it and for a second Ichigo was stunned by an almost blinding light. Sitting inside the box was a small key, made out of a strange metal that glowed in a multitude of colours.

"This is the royal key?" Ichigo asked. Urahara nodded.

"If you listen closely, you can hear the sounds of the billions of spirits that make up this key. They are the souls that were sacrificed to create it."

"What, this key is made out of billions of souls?"

"Yes. This key is intrinsically tied to the Sea of souls. It was created at the birth of Soul Society, by the Spirit King and it was entrusted to the first Commander General. Over the millennia the key has acted as a balancer, absorbing and releasing souls to keep the universes stable. After the climax of the Quincy Wars, the key had a new purpose: it acted as the gateway to the King's Realm. When the key taps into the Sea of Souls, it creates a doorway between dimensions, and allows souls of step into this gateway to ascend to a higher plane. When stabilized, the key could function as a means of travel between the King's Realm and Soul Society."

"No wonder Aizen wanted to obtain the key so badly," Ichigo said. "To go as far as to make his own."

'Indeed. But Aizen made a critical error in his judgment," Urahara pointed out. "He did not uncover everything about the Royal Key. Some of the more important aspects surrounding the key's creation were only passed down by word of mouth. Commander Yamamoto was privy to the secrets of the Royal Key, which I subsequently discovered when he transferred ownership of it to me."

"What were the secrets behind the key? Were they the reason why you allowed Aizen to destroy Karakura?"

"Yes. The real secret of the Royal Key is its ability to tap into the Sea of Souls and open a dimensional gateway between realms. In order to forge a genuine copy, one would have to literally create a new spirit dimension made out of all of the souls in the universe. We are fortunate that Aizen never discovered this secret. He assumed that he only needed to gather a hundred thousand high density souls in a nexus of spiritual power like Karakura Town to create the key. What he created instead was a tear in the fabric of reality that would allow him to enter the King's Realm. However, that tear would only have lasted a short time, as the energy given off by the disintegrated souls dissipated."

"I get it now. You allowed Aizen to sacrifice Karakura in order to trap him in the King's Realm permanently," Ichigo said. Urahara's explanation finally made sense.

"Precisely. I must admit that sacrificing Karakura Town was a painful decision to make, but in the long run, we would save a lot more lives. Those who ended up dying fought valiantly to stall Aizen long enough for Isshin and the Vizards to evacuate most of the people who were still alive, leaving only the dead souls and hollows to be consumed by the forging process. Also, Commander General Yamamoto and I agreed that the captains and vice captains who were sent to rescue you and your nakama were to form the nucleus of the Gotei 13 that would survive the war, and eventually rebuild Soul Society. Yamamoto's last words to me was to keep the Royal Key hidden and safe, so that once Soul Society was rebuilt, the Gotei 13 would be able to organize an invasion of the King's Realm to defeat Aizen once and for all. I couldn't do that if Aizen knew where I was. Hence the reason why I had to hide here, in the darkest corners of Hueco Mundo."

At last, Ichigo realized that Urahara had never betrayed the Soul Society at all; he had carried out Commander General Yamamoto's last orders to the letter. All the preparations he had carried out during the Winter War had gone according to plan.

"I shouldn't have doubted you at all, Urahara-san," he smiled. "You may have been mysterious in your actions, but you always had the best of intentions. I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without your help, I would never have gotten this far."

"You don't have to thank me, Kurosaki-san," Urahara laughed. "You were just as important to me as I was to you. When I first trained you, I saw in you an image of the person I always wanted to be but never could. I have always been a recluse, hiding behind a façade, willing to use or sacrifice a subordinate to further my own ends, and unwilling to make up for my mistakes. You however had an uncanny ability to make friends. You never shied away from making your opinions, and whenever your friends were in danger, you wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice your life to save them. And whenever you made a mistake, you would always go to great lengths to make up for it. Without you, none of the plans I made could have succeeded. I owe you more than you ever owe me."

Ichigo was lost for words at Urahara's frank admission. He didn't think his former mentor thought so lowly of himself. In hindsight, he realized that the reason why Urahara had sent him to rescue Rukia and Inoue in the first place was because he was he was the only one who was capable of doing it.

"Alright, I suppose you are ready to return to Soul Society?" Ichigo asked.

"I am. Before we leave Hueco Mundo, we must find your nakama of course," Urahara said. "Where are they now?"

"Rukia is standing outside this cave with Ashido. The others followed Grimmjow and Nel into Las Noches again."

"Ah, Grimmjow and Nel are still alive? I hope they've remembered the instructions I gave them…very well then, we shall meet up them in Las Noches before departing for Soul Society. There is something I must retrieve there."

"They sure are taking a long time," Rukia commented. She had been standing outside the cavern entrance with Ashido for what seemed like hours. During that time they had shared stories of their adventures over the past four years whilst eating onigiri rice balls and drinking water. During that time, Rukia had discovered that Ashido used to the Vice Captain of the 5th division, some two hundred years ago. When she asked if he knew about Hirako Shinji, Ashido had said he remembered seeing someone going by that name as a 5th seat.

"You know Rukia, I've missed out on a lot of things since I winded up here," Ashido said. "I am saddened to hear that my old nakama Shinji is dead."

"Well, time keeps changing," Rukia said. "Compared to you, I'm only an infant. You're older than most of the current captains of Soul Society." Rukia suddenly had a brainwave. "Hey, would you like to come back to Soul Society with me and the others?"

Ashido was surprised at Rukia's suggestion. He pondered on it for a while.

"I'm not sure. Soul Society has changed so much since I left it that I probably won't even recognize anymore. To the new generation, I am nothing more than a relic of the past."

"Don't say that. There are still people left from that time who'd remember you, like Captain Unohana for instance."

"She's still alive then," Ashido smiled. "I used to admire her as a role model when I was still young, and when I rose through the ranks, I developed a crush on her. A hopeless crush I might add. There was no way I could ever be compared to her. I was one of the weakest Vice Captains back then, fit only for reconnaissance missions. Even now after two centuries of living here, my strength has barely increased." He stared at his chiseled, rusted sword in disgust. Seeing how depressed he was, Rukia tried comforting him.

"You're being too hard on yourself. The last time we met, you were able to easily take down whole swathes of Gillians, and you managed to defeat several Adjuchas. For a Vice Captain, that's no mean feat." Ashido looked at Rukia and smiled.

"They still don't compare to what you've done, managing to defeat on one of the Espada."

"He was just a Gillian." Rukia and Ashido both laughed at the irony of their victories.

"It seems like the two of you are having fun," a creepy voice uttered nearby. Rukia and Ashido both stood up and unsheathed their swords. They scanned the surroundings, listening closely for the voice to appear again. In a split second instance a shadow flashed across Rukia's eyes. She tried slashing at it, but it was gone.

"I like this game. Try and find me, Shinigami. Before I find you!!" the voice laughed madly. Ashido raised his left hand and chanted a Kido spell.

"Hadou 31, Shakaho!" he shouted. A flaming red cannon shot out of his hand and lit up a section of the trees.

"Ooh, that was a close one! You almost got me there!" the voice laughed again.

"Damn it, this is so frustrating," Rukia cursed. She raised her left hand and shouted, "Hadou 33, Soukatsui!" A giant blue ball of energy crashed into a clump of trees and exploded."

"That was a nice shot, but I'm still totally unscathed!" Rukia was now totally annoyed by the voice. She took a deep breath and yelled at the top of her lungs.

"WHERE ARE YOU? SHOW YOURSELF!!" Her voice echoed for nearly a whole minute. Then there was a silence. The voice had not spoken again. Rukia focused her mind to sense reiatsu; there was definitely a strong spiritual pressure, somewhat resembling an Adjucha, nearby, but it was moving erratically.

"Can you sense it, Ashido?" Rukia asked.

"I can, but it's moving so fast that I can't pin a lock on its location," Ashido replied. "Stay focused." Rukia nodded. She decided to release her Zanpakto.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" she called out. Her sword turned a sparkling white and grew a long white tassel. Ashido admired her blade.

"Your Zanpakto is as beautiful as when I first saw it, Rukia," he said.

"Can you release as well?" Rukia asked. Ashido nodded. He raised his sword in the air.

"Flap, Hitonomi!" His Zanpakto changed shape, losing its guard, bending in two, and changing colour. It now looked like a silvery boomerang, with an elongated handle.

"Wow, that's a very unique looking Shikai," Rukia said

"Thanks for the compliment. It's been ages since I released…" Just as Ashido finished speaking, he was sliced in the waist by a shadowy figure. Rukia tried to stop it, but she ended getting sliced in the face. She doubled backwards but stayed on her feet.

"Are you okay Ashido?" she asked.

"I'm alright," he answered. He squinted his eyes. "I think I can still see the attacker!" He threw his boomerang Shikai into the trees. There was a yell. A second later the boomerang returned to his hand.

"That way!" Ashido shouted. He and Rukia ran into the trees. After thirty yards they saw something lying on the ground, its right ankle bleeding profusely. Rukia fired an unspoken Byakurai spell at it but before the beam hit, the creature jumped into the air. At last, Rukia took a good look at the being that had tormented them before. It was an Arrancar. He had jet black hair, pale white skin, and wore a whitish jacket and pants that looked like jeans. His midriff was completely bared. Skull fragments hung around his ears and teeth.

"I can't believe you two rascals managed to get me," he cursed himself.

"Who are you?" Rukia asked. "Are you one of the Steeds?" Her question surprised the Arrancar.

"Your awfully knowledgeable of us servants of Aizen, Shinigami," he sneered. "Yes, I am a Steed of the Apocalypse, the Adjucha Phobos. Nice to meet you!" In a flash he Sonido-ed down to Rukia, slicing her right forearm. Rukia gasped and clutched her right arm. Blood dripped onto the ground.

"Rukia, are you alright?" Ashido asked. Before she could respond. Phobos sliced his left shoulder. Blood spurted out of the wound and Ashido fell onto his knees.

:Damn, he's so fast!" Rukia swore. She applied healing energy to her right arm, managing to close the gash and completely stop the bleeding. Ashido too managed to get back on his feet. Phobos was hovering over them.

"Are you frightened yet? Those shots were only appetizers to the nightmare that is to come!" he exclaimed.

"Did Aizen send you to eliminate us?" Rukia asked.

"Not really. I was just told to guard this forest from any intruders. It's just a bonus that I finally managed to snare such juicy targets!" Phobos broke into an insane laugh as Ashido walked up to Rukia.

"I've got a plan to defeat him, but I'll need your help," he said.

"Sure thing. Just tell me what to do," Rukia nodded.

"I need you to distract him for a while so that he doesn't notice me when I throw Hitonomi. Once I deal him a clean hit, bind him and finish him off with a Kidou spell. Got that?" Rukia nodded. She Shunpo-ed directly underneath Phobos and swung her sword in a semi-circular arc.

"First Dance, Tsukishiro," she muttered. A giant circular column of ice shot out of the ground. Phobos narrowly dodged it.

"What the hell is that? You almost got me!" he screamed. Noticing that he had dropped his guard, Rukia decided to surprise him. She directed the column of ice around with her sword, making Phobos dance around in circles to avoid being trapped in the column. The Arrancar was too focused at dodging the ice that he didn't see Ashido his Shikai at him. The boomerang spun in the air and scored a direct hit. Phobos was sliced across his chest, causing a huge amount of blood to spurt out. As soon as she saw the boomerang hit, Rukia stopped her Tsukishiro and jumped into the air.

"Bakudo no. 1, Sai!" she shouted. Phobo's arms were constricted together for a brief moment. It was more than enough time for Rukia to point both hands at him and shout "Hadou no. 63, Raikoho!" The Arrancar was hit directly by a giant concentrated blast of spirit energy. He was sent crashing through multiple trees before plummeting to the ground. Rukia and Ashido walked ahead to see where he landed. They spotted him in a crumpled heap, a pool of blood growing under his body.

"You bastards!" he coughed, spewing up blood from his mouth. "I'm going to strike fear into your hearts-before I rip them out and devour them! Frighten, Cauchemar!" In an instant Phobos exploded in a plume of reiatsu and smoke. Rukia and Ashido covered their eyes as they sensed the Arrancar's spiritual pressure increase dramatically. When the dust settled Phobos had transformed into a shadowy creature with a grayish cloak that covered everything except his head, which was covered in a hood-like mask that only revealed his mouth and glowing red eyes. His whole body billowed in the wind. Rukia tightened her hands around he sword, as Ashido prepared to throw his Zanpakto.

"Now, who shall I frighten first?" Phobos cackled. He peered at both of them, before he shot a sudden glance at Ashido. In an instant Ashido dropped his Zanpakto and clutched his hands around his throat. His eyes bulged outwards and swelled up as profuse amounts of sweat flowed down his face.

"Ashido!" Rukia shouted in concern. "What's wrong? Speak to me!"

"Forgive me, brothers, I have…failed you…" he croaked. He fell onto his chest, and gasped for breath. All the while Phobos was laughing madly.

"Yes, yes, relive the worst moments of your life!" he cackled. "Feel the pain that your friends suffered when they died!" Rukia tried to remove Ashido's hands from his neck, but his grip was incredibly strong.

"Come on, Ashido, snap out of it! You're experiencing an illusion!" Rukia shouted in his ear. Phobos saw what she was doing and shot out a stream of sharp stakes that were attached to his cloak. Rukia narrowly managed to dodge them all. She landed further away from Ashido, who had stopped choking himself. He struggled to stand up, still gasping for breath.

"Unbelievable! No one stands up after I hit them with my nightmare ray!" Phobos exclaimed. He tried staring at Ashido again. Ashido simply closed his eyes.

"Your cruel trick doesn't work on me anymore," he said. "I am overcome the fears of my past, and have made peace with my nakama." He summoned his Zanpakto to his hand and threw it at Phobos. The Arrancar jumped to dodge the boomerang, but his cloak ended up getting slashes.

"I've had it with you, Shinigami!" he screamed out. "Why don't you just die!" He shot out a stream of stakes from his cloak again. Unfortunately, Ashido was not quick enough to dodge them. Rukia screamed as she saw the stakes piece his entire body. Phobos lifted him into the air before withdrawing the stakes. Rukia caught him before he fell to the ground. When she examined his wounds, she realized he had incurred fatal injuries. His Soul chain and soul booster had been completely severed, and his throat had been pierced. Damage to any of these areas would usually mean death for a Shinigami.

"Ashido, hang on, I'll try to save you," Rukia said. She placed her hands upon his chest and tried sending spirit energy flowing into his body.

"There is no need to save me, Rukia," Ashido said. "My time has come. I would have dearly liked to see Soul Society again, but I've already lived long enough. Goodbye, Rukia. It was nice knowing you." He smiled at her as blood flowed down his mouth. Rukia stared into his eyes as they turned lifeless. A moment later he was motionless.

"Ha, ha, ha, that bastard is dead!" Phobos laughed. "Now for you, little annoying bitch!" Rukia was still staring at Ashido's body in silence. Her Kuchiki upbringing prevented her from shedding tears, but deep down inside she felt heartbroken at the death of a friend she had known for a short time.

"Rest in peace, Ashido," she spoke softly as she stood up. "I will avenge you." She finally glanced at Phobos. An inner rage was rising inside her.

"You shall get no mercy from me, Arrancar!" she shouted.

"Well then, take your shot, Shinigami!" Phobos cackled. His red eyes glared at Rukia. In an instant, Rukia received a vision of Kaien dying in her arms again. _This must be what Ashido experienced_. She knew it was just a hallucination and shrugged it off.

"That trick of your won't work on me," she smirked. Before Phobos could do anything else Rukia pointed her left hand at him. "Bakudo 61, Rikujokorou!" The Arrancar was immobilized by the six golden rods. As he clawed at the rods in an attempt to remove them, Rukia charged up her blade, channeling spirit energy from her surroundings and turning them into snow. She held her sword parallel to her shoulder as streams of snow rose up from the ground.

"Second Dance, Hakuren!" she shouted. She shot a stream of snow and ice at Phobos just as the binding spell dissipated. The Arrancar was hit full on by the blast and was covered head to toe in ice. Rukia knew that wasn't enough to freeze him completely, so as the ice started to shatter, she stuck her sword in the ground and charged up spirit energy in her palms. The ice surrounding Phobos had almost shattered.

"Hadou 73, Souren Soukatsui!" Rukia shouted. She fired a giant blue blast of energy from both hands just as Phobos broke out of the ice. Rukia thought she had hit him directly as the blast blew away the trees that had been frozen by the Hakuren. But then saw that he had Sonido-ed at the last second. Before she could pick up her sword and defend herself, Phobos reappeared behind her and extended out the stakes embedded in his cloak. Rukia felt an extreme surge of pain as she was impaled in the shoulders, stomach, and waist. Phobos dangled her in air and shook her around violently before retracting his stakes. Rukia fell to the ground, blood spewing out her torso and mouth. She was slowly losing consciousness as she saw Phobos reappear in front of her, reading to strike a killing blow. _Am I going to die?_ She wondered. _Ashido has passed his heart to me. Who do I pass my heart to? I can't afford to die here!_ Rukia wondered if she was dreaming, for something shimmering appeared in front of Phobos. She titled her head upwards to get a clearer look. The shimmering figure resolved itself into a beautiful woman dressed in shining white robes.

"Shirayuki-sama…" Rukia stuttered.

"Are you ready to die, Rukia, or do you still want to live?" Shirayuki's mystical voice spoke. "Have you left your heard to someone else?"

"I haven't left my heart to anyone. It's not my time to die yet. I still want to live!"

"Very well then. Come with me." Shirayuki placed her hands on Rukia's hair. In an instant Rukia felt herself transported through time and space, as if she was falling through a whirlpool. She lost consciousness. When she woke up again, she found herself lying on in a vast field of grass. The sky was a sparkling blue with fluffy white clouds. Rabbits, birds, insects and other animals danced around her. She wondered if she had truly died and was in heaven.

"Get up, Rukia," Shirayuki spoke as she appeared before her.

"Where am I?" Rukia asked. She looked around and noticed a hill nearby with a majestic tree growing on top of it.

"We are in your inner world," Shirayuki replied. "I have summoned here to test your strength."

"But, I'm about to killed!" Rukia shouted. "My body's already dying!"

"Is it? Look around you. If your body was truly dying, this world would have started to collapse long ago. Yet it's far more stable now than it was when I last brought you here." Shirayuki motioned Rukia to follow her. They walked up the hill to the great tree. It was in full bloom, with luscious pink peaches hanging from its branches.

"I want you to place your hands upon the trunk of the tree," Shirayuki directed. Rukia was confused.

"Why do I need to touch it? What does this tree represent?"

"It's about time you asked that question. The tree represents the core of your soul. It is the engine that drives your inner world. Its existence is vital to your survival. Should it ever die completely then your soul would truly be dead. If you touch the tree, you will bond with the tree and unlock the full depths of the powers that lie within you."

"How will I know to use them?"

"Just use your intuition. Your powers will come naturally to you. The next time we meet again I'll teach you everything about me." Rukia placed her hands upon the tree. As soon as she did she felt power surge through her body, flowing like a raging river. In an instant, the world around her was bathed in a brilliant light that started to shine even brighter, until it engulfed her. She herself disappear.

Rukia regained consciousness in an instant. With her body feeling more alive than ever, she was able to quickly grab her sword and block the stake that Phobos was about to impale her with,

"Impossible! You were almost dead a second ago!" he gasped in fright. "How did you manage to regain your energy? And where did you get this reiatsu from?" Rukia simply smirked. With a flex of her spiritual pressure, she knocked Phobos away, sending him crashing through a tree. She stood on her feet, the wounds she had suffered a few moments before feeling like nothing. Phobos got up again and leaped into the air.

"You bitch! I'm going to hit you with everything I've got!" he screamed. He flexed out his cloak and stakes again. Instead of shooting them out, he charged a cero blast from each tip. Then he fired them all at Rukia. As the barrage of ceros neared her, Rukia calmly mouthed "Bakudo 81, Danku". A giant barrier of Kidou appeared in front of her, instantly cancelling out all of the ceros. Phobos was left in a state of shock, unable to respond. With a swing of her arm, Rukia summoned a Tsukishiro column below her feet. She stood on the platform as it rose up to match Phobos' elevation. Then with in one graceful movement she swung her sword over her shoulder and held it with both hands.

"Second Dance, Hakuren," she said. A wave of ice shot out from her Zanpakto, propelling her off the platform like a jetpack. Phobos had finally regained his senses and started to shoot his stakes at her like mad. Rukia ducked and weaved through each one until she was right in front of him. Then she swung her sword in front of her until it was pointed directly at Phobos' forehead.

"Third Dance, Shirafune," she said. Before the Arrancar could react, her blade extended outwards, piercing his skull. In a second his entire head snap froze and shattered into a million pieces. The rest of his body dissipated into mist. As soon she was finished killing him, Rukia's Zanpakto changed back to normal and she fell slowly to the ground,

"Rukia!" Ichigo shouted. He had sensed a sharp increase in a nearby reiatsu just as he exited Urahara's cave and had gone after it. He was unsure of who it belonged to. Now the same reiatsu had dropped dramatically and it was most definitely Rukia's. Ichigo and Urahara Shunpo-ed through a forest of burnt and toppled trees until they saw a body lying on the ground, It was Rukia. Ichigo dropped to her side and checked on her.

"Rukia, are you alright Speak to me!" he shouted.

"Don't worry Ichigo, she's alive and breathing," Urahara said. He placed his right hand over her chest. "I'll get her fixed up in no time." Ichigo was relieved. As he watched Urahara heal Rukia, he noticed there was another body lying nearby. He walked up to it and realized who it was.

"It's Ashido. He's already dead." Ichigo dragged Ashido's body beside Rukia and started buying it.

"It's a darn shame he had to die here," Urahara shook his head.

Urahara reveals the truth behind Orihime's identity and the secrets behind the Royal Key. What does he plan on doing now?

Notes: Rukia and Ashido's fight is one of the most important in the story. It finally gives a definite end to Ashido, without demeaning his character, whilst giving Rukia the same emotional intensity she experienced during her fight with Aaroniero.

Phobos: Based on the Greek god of fear, he is one of the Steeds of the Apocalypse. His release is Cauchemar, which means Nightmare in Spanish. A fitting name, considering his ability to frighten his enemies with nightmare visions.

I've appreciated the reviews so far. Keep them coming!


	22. Chapter 22: Conquistadores

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: With his nakama behind him, Ichigo returned to Hueco Mundo on a mission to search for Urahara Kisuke, who has been missing since the Winter War. They reunite with Grimmjow, Nel and her Fraccion, who directed Ichigo and Rukia to the Forest of Menos. Inside the forest, Ichigo and Rukia encounter Ashido, the lone Shinigami who had guide them the previous time. Ashido assists Ichigo to find Urahara, who had been hiding inside a dark cave all this time. After much prodding from Ichigo, Urahara spills all of the secrets he had been hiding, leading to some shocking revelations. Meanwhile, Ashido and Rukia are attacked by a Steed of the Apocalypse on patrol in the forest. Ashido tragically loses his life and though Rukia manages to defeat the Steed, she is gravely wounded in the process. The rest of Ichigo's friends have arrived at the doorstep of Las Noches...

* * *

Chapter 22: Conquistadores

Renji, Ishida, Sado, Hiyori Grimmjow, Nel, her Fraccion and Gantenbein arrived at the front gates of Las Noches. As expected the palace was enormous, easily matching the entire Seireitei in size. The last time that all of them except for Grimmjow and Gantenbein had broken in they had smashed a hole through a side wall. This time, Grimmjow had guided them directly to the front gates. Like the rest of Las Noches the gates were imposing, towering over them like a pair of twin colossi. Renji felt like an ant standing at the base, imagining what sort of creatures would be capable of constructing something like this.

"How are we meant to get in? Those gates are several hundred feet high!" Ishida exclaimed. "God knows how heavy they must be. There's no way we can push them in!"

"Stop complaining," Nel said. "Do you think as Espada we didn't have a way of getting in?" She placed her right palm on a small, almost indistinguishable indent at the bottom of the gates. As soon as her hand touched it the symbol glowed a bright red. Nel took her hand off the indent. A second later the giant gates began to open inwards, their trundling causing massive vibrations with the ground. Within a few minutes the gates had fully opened, exposing an expansive hallway miles in length. The entire group walked through the gates and discovered two smaller paths branching off from the main hallway.

"What do now? There's three paths," Sado pointed out.

"Isn't it obvious? We split up into groups!" Grimmjow shouted. "You Shinigami and humans can take the sides. I'm going straight ahead."

"Hey, that's no fair! Why do we have to go through the side passages?" Hiyori asked angrily. Grimmjow glared at her with vicious eyes.

"Because, the central hallway leads to the Vasto Lordes. Think you can take them?" Hiyori backed down. She realized that there was no point getting into an argument.

"Okay then, Ishida and I will take the left, Sado and Hiyori, you take the right," Renji directed.

"What about us?" Pesche and Dondochakka asked in unison.

"You two go with Renji and Ishida," Nel ordered. "Gantenbein, accompany Sado and the girl. Grimmjow, I'm going with you."

"Didn't say I tell you I could handle them alone, bitch?' Grimmjow asked.

"Don't get cocky, Grimmjow. You're no stronger than I am. Remember what happened last time. You think you can take them both on?" Grimmjow had a sudden recollection of being torn apart, thrown out of Las Noches and left for dead.

"Tch, fine then. You can come with me. Just don't get in my way, or else I'll kill you." He started to walk ahead. Nel started to follow him.

"Nel, we'll try to meet up at the central towers," Renji said to her.

"Sure thing. Just don't get killed, okay?" Nel asked. Renji nodded. He and Ishida wished good luck to Sado and Hiyori before the two groups split up.

* * *

The sudden intrusion of the large of invaders into Las Noches had not gone unnoticed. As soon as the gates were opened, a signal went off in Aizen's former throne room. There a group of powerful Arrancar had gathered. Two of them were sitting on large chairs.

"What do you know, invaders have entered the building," a well built, blonde haired male Arrancar commented.

"And it appears they've brought some interesting guests," a silver haired, big breasted female Arrancar with warts all over her face responded. They watched a shining blue orb that was hovering in the air.

"Those two outcasts, eh? I can't believe they'd want to come again to get their asses kicked."

"Shall we eradicate them for good, eh, Guerra?"

"Why, not, Pestilencia? It's been boring just lying around here waiting for Aizen's orders. Hell we're still waiting for Muerte and Carestia to come back, although I think they'd probably dead."

"I agree. But there's more intruders than those two. They should be small fry," Pestlencia said. "Deimos, Anarquia, Odio, head into the underground chambers and find the intruders. Then finish them off." The three Arrancars who had been standing at the base of the throne nodded and Sonido-ed out of the room.

* * *

"Will you get the fuck off me?!" Renji yelled as he tried to push Dondochakka off. The big oaf had jumped onto him when he saw Renji trying to Shunpo far ahead. Pesche had done the same to Ishida.

"Urgh, why did you have to jump onto us?" Ishida asked.

"Now, now, calm down kids, no need to get all riled up like that," Pesche spoke in a very presumptuous tone. "We were just preventing you from getting carried away."

"Carried away my ass!" Renji shouted. With one great heave he threw Dondochakka off his back and into a wall. Ishida likewise kicked Pesche in the groin.

"Waaa! Renji-kun is so mean!" Dondochakka cried.

"My manhood! You destroyed my manhood!" Pesche yelled.

"Shut up! It's not like you had a manhood in the first place!" Ishida scolded.

"Alright, let's get going. The sooner we find a way out of this corridor the better," Renji said. The four of them continued to run through the corridor. After what seemed like an eternity they finally reached an open area. It was a large hallway filled with rows and rows of columns. At the other end of the hallway was a flight of stairs that ascended to the inner dome area, Renji, Ishida, Dondochakka and Pesche ran as fast as they could to the other end but as soon as they neared the stairs they blocked by the sudden appearance of an Arrancar. He was a brutish looking person, his hair spiked up into a mohawk. He wore a studded white leather jacket and loose fitting white pants, clearly revealing his hole. His mask fragments consisted of a series of piercings on his mask.

"You must be the intruders," he grunted. "I am Deimos, steed of the Apocalypse, and I am here to exterminate you." Renji and Ishida instantly pulled out their weapons, ready to fight, but in a surprise comical turn they were both pushed aside by Dondochakka and Pesche.

"What the hell are you doing?" Renji and Ishida both asked in a rage.

"Stand down lowly humans. We shall handle this brute," Pesche gloated.

"Are you insane? He's likely an Adjucha! What chance do you two stand against him?" Renji asked.

"Don't underestimate us! We saved your lives when you fought Szayel Aporro!" Dondochakka yelled out. Deimos was amused at their bantering, and recognized both Pesche and Dondochakka's faces.

"So, it's you two. You've come back to get your asses kicked again?" he asked. "Remember what happened last time. Were you sent here by your leader, the traitorous Neliel tu Oderschwank?"

"Nein! We came here by our own accord!" Pesche exclaimed.

"Very well then, may the two of you suffer a humiliating death," Deimos pulled out his sword. "Stomp, Gargantua!" His body was engulfed with reiatsu as it changed in appearance. His arms grew massively in size and turned metallic in appearance. A steel jaw covered his mouth and his chest became completely iron in appearance. To Ishida, he now resembled those juggernauts he had read in comic books.

Deimos gave out a bestial yell, loud enough to almost shatter Renji and Ishida's ear drums, before he charged at Pesche and Dondochakka. The two of them jumped into the air, but weren't fast enough to evade a crushing blow from Deimos' right fist. The blow sent them crashing through a column. They managed to stand up again, but Ishida and Renji could both see that they were bleeding from their foreheads.

"Are you two okay? It looks like you might need some help!" Renji exclaimed.

"We're fine. Don't underestimate our powers!" Pesche exclaimed. He reached into his loincloth and once again pulled out the short sword he had amusingly called 'Ultima'. Dondochakka likewise pulled a giant a club out of his mouth.

"Hah, you seriously think the two of you can take me on with weapons like those? Peons!" Deimos shouted. He charged at them again, throwing another supercharged right fist. Pesche evaded the blow with a surprisingly graceful acrobatic movement. Dondochakka simply swung his club around and smashed Deimos' right fist. Deimos screamed in pain as his hand was cracked open. Blood spilled onto the ground. In his agony he forgot about Pesche, who had managed to get behind him. Pesche used his glowing Ultima sword to slice Deimos' ankles, severing his Achilles tendons. Deimos screamed again.

"You fucking bastards! I'm going to get you!" he shouted. He tried smashing Pesche with his left fist, but the nimble-footed cockroach Sonido-ed beside Dondochakka. Deimos seized the opportunity to fire a Cero from his mouth. Renji and Ishida yelled at Dondochakka and Pesche but the two of them didn't even flinch. As the cero neared them, Dondochakka swatted it away with his club. Then he spewed a host of giant worms from his mouth, one of them being Bawabawa, who barked in an adorable manger.

"Go Bawabawa! Show them him what our sand worms are made of!" Dondochakka charged at Deimos, who, despite his crippled state, managed to jump into the air. Pesche seized the chance to spit a load of saliva from his mouth. The saliva stuck to Deimos' arms, pinning him against two columns.

"How do you like that? My Infinite Slick sticks to anything!" Pesche gloated. "Now, let's finish him off Dondochakka!" He hopped onto Dondochakka's back, as his polka-dot faced nakama opened his mouth, revealing a slimy cannon sticking out of his tongue. The two of them charged up simultaneous ceros, Pesche using his Ultima sword, Dondochakka using his cannon. The two ceros linked up, creating a current.

"Cero Sincretio!!" they shouted. They fired their combined ceros at Deimos, who could only scream in horror. A second later he was annihilated in the ensuring explosion.

Renji and Ishida, who had been observing the fight the whole time, were aghast. Though they had seen the two Fraccion fight once before, that time was against Szayel Aporro, who had figured out their moves, making their attacks useless. Now, it was apparent that Pesche and Dondochakka weren't just ordinary Arrancars.

"My gosh, I don't think we could have managed such an extraordinary display of power so quickly," Renji said. "Their teamwork was brilliant.

"I know. It makes us seem kind of useless," Ishida gulped.

"Ha, ha, how was that, Uryu? We kicked his ass so easily!" Pesche gloated again.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ishida sighed. "That Arrancar was kind of weak anyway. Probably only a Gillian."

"Ha, pathetic comeback!" Pesche laughed. Ishida kicked him in the face.

"Waaa, you guys are so mean to us!" Dondochakka pretended to cry.

"Shut up!" Renji shouted. "We got delayed here long enough. Let's get going. Stat on your guard. We might be attacked by more enemies along the way." The four of them started to run up the stairs.

* * *

Sado, Hiyori and Gantenbein were Shunpo-ing along the other hallway, covering massive ground with each step. After a while they reached a vast hallway filled with columns. At the other end of the hallway was a spiraling staircase that seemed to go on forever.

"The exit to the inner sanctums is right at the top of that staircase," Gantenbein pointed out. Sado and Hiyori nodded. They ran towards the stairs, but before they even managed to reach it something appeared right in front of them. It was a female Arrancar. She had a brown afro, dark skin, a low-cut white dress that revealed most of her bust, and a mask fragment shaped like a tiara.

"We meet again, Gantenbein," she smirked. "Still remember me?" Gantenbein froze.

"Anarchie…" he said.

"It's been a long time since you were my superior."

"Do you know this person?" Sado asked. Gantenbein nodded.

"She was my Fraccion when I was still an Espada," he said. He watched as Anarquia unsheathed her sword. "The two of you can go ahead. I'll deal with her personally."

"Whatever, afro guy. Just finish her quickly," Hiyori mumbled. She and Sado ran up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Anarquia asked. She tried to stop their ascent, but Gantenbein blocked her attack.

"I'm the one you'll have to deal with," he said.

"So be it," Anarquia snickered. "I'll finally get to prove that I've gotten stronger than you, Gantenbein Mosqueda!" She jumped away from him and raised her sword.

"Ravage, Res Muerta!" she shouted. A plume of reiatsu surrounded her, as bony extensions protruded out of her body. Her arms and legs were completely covered with bony armour, her clothes turned into bony armour, whilst her eyes were covered by a visor. Strapped to both her hands was a pair of claws.

"Here I come!" she shouted. She charged at Gantenbein, who readied his twin knives and blocked her claw slash. He was pushed backwards and smashed into a column. Anarquia then slashed his face with her left claw. Gantenbein managed to avoid a fatal blow and rolled away. His left cheek now had a huge gash, with blood dripping from it. Gantenbein tried firing a cero at Anarquia, but as the blast neared her she smacked it to one side with her claws.

"You think that level of attack would work? Think again!" Anarquia shouted. She channeled spirit energy into her claws and fired multiple energy beams from them. Gantenbein managed dodge and block most of them, but one beam succeeded in piercing his right ankle. He collapsed onto his knees, just as Anarquia swooped in for the kill. He knew he had no choice but to release.

"Burrow, Doragura!" he shouted. Before Anarquia reached him, he was surrounded by a plume of reiatsu. A complete set of armour, shaped like an armadillo, covered his body, complete with a bony tail nearly ten foot long. The front of the armour trailed into his hand knives, which now resembled a pair of miniature cannons.

"How humiliating. You have to release just to match my power!" Anarquia laughed.

"Don't get overconfident," Gantenbein said. "You may have grown in power, but your tactics are the same as always." Anarquia sneered and fired a set of energy beams at him again. This time, they bounced off his armour. Before Anarquia could move, Gantenbein raised his tail and smashed it into her. She was sent flying backwards, skidding along the floor for a hundred yards before she managed to get back up again.

"I cannot accept this! I should be stronger than you now!" she screamed. "Those years of demotion and exile should have weakened you!" She charged at him again.

"Sorry, but I learned how to become stronger," Gantenbein said. He placed his visor-like mask fragment over his eyes and clasped his fists together,

"Dos Luego nos Perdone," he spoke, channeling massive amounts of his own spirit energy into his fists. He fired a giant yellow blast outward, targeting it directly at Anarquia. There was no time for her to react. In a split second, the blast slammed in her, before smashing through dozens of columns. When the smoke and dust cleared, there was a not a trace of her left. Gantenbein breathed deeply as he sealed his Zanpakto. Then he Sonido-ed up the flight of stairs.

* * *

Sado and Hiyori panted heavily as they took a brief rest. The flight up the staircase had been a killer, but at last they had broken into the inner dome area. The fake blue sky cast an almost blinding light on the surroundings.

"Where shall we go now?" Sado asked.

"Isn't it obvious? We head towards that way!" Hiyori exclaimed. She pointed her fingers at the five towers in the distance. Sado recalled the direction he took, and remembered when he smashed a portion of the walls.

"Okay, let's get going," he said. He and Hiyori ran across the sand, before jumping onto the towers sticking along the ground and running across them. As they reached a fairly large platform with a series of catwalks sticking out of it, a cero came out of nowhere, narrowly missing them. Sado readied his right armored arm, scanning around to see where the source of the attack had come from. Hiyori drew her sword out and stood side by side with him. After a minute's pause another cero came at them. Sado and Hiyori managed to dodge it and this time they pinpointed the source of the attack.

"Up there!" Hiyori exclaimed, pointing to a figure standing on top of another giant pillar. Sado fired an energy blast at the pillar, pulverizing it. The figure jumped off and landed right in front of them. It was a male Arrancar, with a whitish skin twisted into a kind of permanent grimace. He was wearing a stock standard white shirt and loose pants, with a white trench coat on top. His mask fragment consisted of a row of spikes that grew straight out of his bald head.

"You must be the intruders," he said. "I am Odio, Steed of the Apocalypse. Both of you must die." Sado and Hiyori tensed their muscles, anticipating his first strike. A second later Odio struck Sonido-ing right in front of Sado and slashing at him with his sword. Sado raised his right arm to block. The blade grinded against his armored skin as Odio exerted as much force to cut him. As his attention was preoccupied, Hiyori seized the opportunity and kicked him hard in the face. Odio was sent flying off the platform. He stopped himself from falling and flew back up again.

"That was a cheap attack," he said. "Unworthy of a warrior."

"So what? In a life or death struggle you take whatever opportunity you have!" Hiyori shouted. She narrowly missed being hit by a cero. "Hey, what was that for?"

"If you are going to fight dirty. Then so will I. I will show no mercy to my enemies. Especially against a human and a Shinigami." Hiyori gritted her teeth. She held her sword out and placed her left hand on the blade.

"Grow, Nyoibo!" Her Zanpakto changed into a five foot long staff.

"Hiyori, let me fight him for a while," Sado said.

"What? You want to fight him alone, big guy? What if you can't handle him?" Hiyori asked. Sado held out his thumb, which made Hiyori furious. "Fine then, go get yourself killed!" She watched as his right arm changed shape, growing a mouth-shaped shield. His left arm also changed, being covered with a sleek, demonic looking white armour.

"Brazo Derecho de Gigante, and Brazo Izquierdo del Diablo, I shall fight you with my two arms," Sado said. Odio was amused.

"How interesting. Your reiatsu is similar to ours. You're not a normal human are you?" Odio asked. Before he finished his sentence, Sado appeared in front of him and punched him hard in the face. Odio was sent flying backwards, this time at supersonic speeds. He crashed into a red pillar, causing it crumble into a million pieces. Sado watched and waited as Odio blasted out of the rubble and flew into the air again. Blood flowed from his nose.

"Bastard, what kind of being are you? Where did you get this power?" he asked.

"Do I need to tell you?" Sado responded. "How I got this power is none of your business." He charged up his right arm, channelling huge amounts of spirit energy into it. He then pointed his arm at Odio. "El Directo." A giant beam of energy shot out of his hand. Odio blocked it with his sword, but the force of the attack was so strong that he was pushed backwards. He let out a scream as the blast consumed him. Sado and Hiyori watched as it exploded in a spectacular fireball. When the smoke cleared, Odio had been severely burnt. His clothes were all frayed at the edges and he was panting heavily.

"Damn…damn you!" he screamed. "I've had it with you. I'll make you taste the depth of hatred I have for your kind! Bite, Lycanthropos!" He exploded with reiatsu, causing Sado and Hiyori to cover their eyes. When the dust cleared, Odio looked totally different. He was now hunched over on his hands and legs, which had grown into razor sharp claws. His face was covered with a mask shaped like a wolf's snout. The clothes that had covered in were replaced by a silver-coloured hide that looked a lot like fur. In every way possible, Odio exuded bestial rage and aggression.

"Urgh, he's turned into werewolf!" Hiyori exclaimed. She and Sado raised their defences. But nothing could have prepared them for Odio's sudden attack. After letting out a monstrous howl, he pounced at Sado with lightning fast speed. Before Sado could react, the released Arrancar was upon him, sinking his wolf-like teeth into Sado's shoulder. Sado grimaced, trying to withstand the excruciating pain as a huge chunk of skin and muscle was torn off. Sado punched Odio hard in the face with his left hand, but he barely flinched. He then kneed tried to knee him in the belly. This time he managed to kick him off. Odio landed on another pillar came jumping after him again, still hungry for blood. Sado stood up, but his entire body was starting to tingle. The bite that Odio gave him had injected some sort of toxin or virus into his blood stream. Whatever it was, his vision and orientation were now seriously affected.

"I have no choice but to use Armadura del Dioces," he said to himself. In an instant his entire body was covered with thick bone-white armour, and his face was covered by a skull helmet. Odio let out a laugh that sounded like a feral yell.

"You've changed again? Are you really a human? Now you look just a hollow!" he exclaimed. "It doesn't matter to me. Hollow, human or Shinigami, they all taste just as good. He pounced upon Sado again and started scratching at his chest with his claws. To his astonishment, none of his attacks even dented Sado's armour. Odio tried again, this time sharpening his claws with reiatsu. Again, all of his scratches simply bounced off. In desperation, he tried biting Sado's neck. Instead of sinking his jaws into Sado's skin, all of Odio's teeth snapped off as soon as they came in contact with his neck. Odio screamed in pain, as blood spewed out of his mouth.

"What the fuck are you made of? Your skin is even harder than our hierros!" he shouted. Sado simply smiled and placed his left fist directly upon Odio's belly.

"La Muerte." As soon as he said those words, he discharged a colossal amount of force from his fist, sending it rippling through Odio's body. The Arrancar was literally torn apart from the inside, as the seismic force smashed into another red pillar, creating a giant skull shaped symbol on it. Sado let him drop to the floor of the platform, and proceeded to stomp on his head. Hiyori, who had been watching the whole time, felt sick as she watched Sado smash the already dead Arrancar's skull to pieces.

"Hey, big guy! Your foe's already dead? You don't have to tear him to pieces!" she yelled out. A moment later, Hiyori regretted having ever spoken, for Sado turned around, and his face scared the nerves out of her. His skull like visage was utterly terrifying, and Hiyori sensed the change in his reiatsu. It was dark and bestial, and reeked of a hollow.

"Um, are you alright big guy? You don't have to stare at me like that," Hiyori muttered, wondering what had happened to Sado. She backed away slowly, grasping her Zanpakto tightly with both hands, as she watched Sado approach her.

"Hey what are you doing? Don't come any…" Before Hiyori could finish her sentence, Sado punched her hard in the space. Hiyori screamed as she was sent flying onto the roof another building. Her left cheekbone had been fractured, and she felt as if the skin on her back had been grazed off. She managed to stand up just as Sado made a giant leap and landed right beside her with a deafening shockwave. Hiyori swung her staff at him, but Sado easily blocked and grabbed hold of it with his right hand.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you?" Hiyori asked. "Why the hell did you attack me like that?" Sado grinned, his face contorting into a morbid looking grimace.

"I feel like ripping you to pieces," he cackled. Hiyori was greatly disturbed. His voice did not sound anything like Sado. As she was flung into the air, Hiyori pondered the mystery behind Sado's sudden change. Then she came up with the perfect explanation. _Of course! His inner hollow must have taken over his body! That explains why he's wearing that hollow mask._ She knew how to deal with him now. Although he was a human, Sado's current nature resembled Hiyori's in her hollow state.

"I have to seal his inner hollow," she said to herself. As Sado unleashed a massive energy attack at her, Hiyori pulled out her mask, instantly doubling her reiatsu. She deflected the blast by spinning her staff around at rapid speed. However, she was totally unprepared for Sado to appear right behind her. Before she could react, Sado placed his left arm around her neck and started strangling her.

"Argh, what are you doing?" Hiyori garbled her question. "You're…killing…me…" Her face started turning red, as Sado's arms pressed against her chest.

"Die, die, die!!" Sado yelled in an uncharacteristic fashion. At this moment, Gantenbein caught up to them, and froze in his tracks.

"Hey, what's up? Why are you strangling her? Aren't the two of you friends?" he asked. Sado didn't answer. As Hiyori's face started turning purple, Gantenbein took a desperate act of trying to pull Sado's arm off her neck.

"What's happened to you?" Gantenbein asked, exerting all of his strength to pull Sado's left arm away. Sado responded by punching him hard in the face.

"Nothing's happened to me," Sado spoke in a demonic voice. "I'm just the way I am." With his grip around her finally released, Hiyori managed to slip out of his grasp and run a few hundred yards away to get her breath back. As he clutched his bleeding nose, Gantenbein realised what had happened to Sado; he had been overcome by the hollow that was within him. Soon enough he would utterly consumed by it, and transform into a mindless, albeit extremely powerful hollow.

"Is there something you can do?" he asked Hiyori.

"There is, but I have to get up close to him," Hiyori gnashed her teeth. Sado was about to fire another giant energy blast at them, when suddenly his entire body froze.

_"Stop, it Yasutora!" the voice of his Abuelo sounded in his mind. "You're not supposed to hurt other people!"_

_**"Don't listen to him! Use your strength to crush, maim and kill others!"**__ a sinister voice whispered in his mind. _

_"What's happened to you Sado? Have you forgotten the words I told you?"_

_"__**He's insane! Just do what you like! You know that you're different from the other people. Shinigami, hollows, other humans, they all hate you because you don't belong. What should you do about it? Just hit them!"**__ Sado's mind was now falling apart. The sinister voice of his hollow was becoming ever stronger. He felt himself fall into darkness…until he recalled the scene he had with his abuelo._

_"What comes from hitting?" he remembered his abuelo speaking to him. "You hurt the people who resent you? But what comes from that? You are strong Yasutora. You are big. You are exquisite. You were born with everything that most people would desire from god. Of course, that's what makes you different from the others. Those who are different are persecuted, that's just how the world works. However, Yasutora, you must be kind. Those large, strong fists of yours, for what reasons did god grant you them? Was it for hurting other people? Or was it to protect them?" _

Sado finally snapped back to reality, with a fuller awareness of himself than he ever had before. _I remember now Abuelo. What you told me all those years ago. Thank you for bringing me back._ He looked at the shaken faces of Hiyori and Gantenbein and felt a deep sense of sadness in his heart.

"I'm deeply sorry for what I've done," he fell onto his hands and knees and bent down. "Please forgive me. I was overcome by my hollow."

"Please, there's no need to beg for forgiveness like that!" Hiyori yelled. "I know that your inner hollow was acting up. We can discuss about it once we get back to Soul Society."

* * *

Notes: This chapter pays homage to the Hueco Mundo arc in the manga, with plenty of references, both comical and serious, to character developments and plots that occured in that arc, but with interesting twists and subversions. Going through the front gates was a convienient way to avoid repeating the blowing a hole throuh the hall scenario in the manga. Likewise, Pesche and Dondochakka's battle was an oppotunity to continue the comical interplay the two of them had with Renji and Ishida, but showcasing their power in a way that isn't dissappointing. Some of the characters introduced in this chapter include:

Guerra: Horseman of the Apocalypse. His name obviously means war in Spanish. More will be revealed next chapter about him.

Pestilencia: Horseman of the Apocalpse. Her name means pestilence in Spanish. More will be revealed in coming chapters.

Deimos: Brother to Phobos, based on the Greek god of terror. His resurrecion is Gargantua, a Spanish/English word for something that is giant. When released, he resembles a cyborg stomper.

Anarquia: A Steed of the Apocalypse. She was once Gantenbein's Fraccion when he was part of the original Espada. Her release is Res Muerta, which means carcass in Spanish. When released she grows an armour of bone around her body.

Odio: A Steed of the Apocalpse, his name means hate in Spanish. His resurrecion release is Lycanthropos. Like its name suggests, he turns into a werewolf when released.

Doragura: Gantenbein's release. As depicted in the manga, he possesses a special attack called Dos Luego nos Perdone, which roughly translates into "may the lord forgive us".

One final note about Chad's character in this chapter: I've always thought that Chad's power comes from his inner hollow, which he might have awakened when he met Ichigo. It explains why his powers are hollow in nature and why he became much stronger in Hueco Mundo. I thought it would be interesting to explore the influence that his hollow powers have on his personality, so that his arms and body armour aren't simply upgrades that he receives.

Thank you to all the people who've reviewed so far. You've all written helpful and inspiring feedback.


	23. Chapter 23: Gods of War

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Sado and Hiyori returned to Hueco Mundo on a mission to find the missing Urahara Kisuke. With guidance of Ashido, Ichigo and Rukia found Urahara, but Ashido tragically lost his life. Renji and the others accompanied Grimmjow, Nel, her Fraccion and Gantenbein into Las Noches to eliminate the remaining Horsemen. Pesche and Dondochakka teamed up to take down the Arrancar Deimos. Gantenbein killed his former Fraccion Anarquia. Sado went all out to defeat the Arrancar Odio but in the process lost control of his hollow and almost killed Hiyori before he returned to his senses. The two most powerful Horsemen, Guerra and Pestilencia, remain in wait.

* * *

Chapter 23: Gods of War

"They're all dead," Guerra said as he sipped a cup of tea. He and Pestilencia were still sitting in the throne room, watching the action on the viewing globe.

"Huh, pathetic!" Pestilencia laughed. "They're not deserving of being called Arrancar then. Still they were only Adjuchas and Gillians. None of them compare to our level, and neither do the opponents."

"True, but there are two enemies coming who might pose a threat to us," Guerra pointed to the viewing globe, which showed images of a blue-haired male Arrancar and a green-haired female Arrancar running across the sand of the inner sanctum.

"They're definitely worthy foes," Pestilencia said. "Well then, which one do you want to take?"

"Grimmjow of course. I owe the kitty some payback," he pushed aside a lock of his hair to reveal a huge scar running down the side of his face. He proceeded to walk down the stairs of the throne. Pestilencia smirked.

"Fine with me. I'll wait for Neliel-san to come here." She watched as Guerra went out the door.

* * *

Grimmjow and Nel Sonido-ed across the surface of the sand, barely skimming it in their race to get to the five towers. Though they had been acquaintances during their four years of exile in the desert, neither of them thought of each other as companions. Even now, they were bumping and grinding into each other in order to the first to get there, a remnant of the bestial animal instincts they possessed deep inside.

"Don't get in my way!" Grimmjow yelled.

"What? I'm getting in your way? I think it's you who's getting in mine!" Nel yelled back. Grimmjow gave her a vicious shove in the shoulder.

"Hey what was that for?" Nel asked angrily.

"Didn't I tell you not to mess around with me?" Grimmjow replied. They were so intent on one-upping each other that they failed to see the imposing figure of Guerra, bedecked in a white leather coat and pants, standing in front of them.

"Heh, they both look like morons," Guerra smirked. He waited until they got within twenty yards of him below he fired a cero from his left pinkie. The blast would have hit Grimmjow and Nel straight on, were it not for their highly developed pesquisas. At the last second, they leaped clear of the cero, and were knocked back several feet.

"Shit, where did that fucking blast come from?" Grimmjow swore as he scratched his head. As he got onto his knees his eyes fell upon the person standing before him. It was a familiar face. One that brought back a painful, long running scar.

"Vido Guerra," he muttered. "The dog of war."

"What was that?" Guerra laughed. "You actually remember me Grimmjow? I didn't think a cat like you could remember names."

"Enough of the jokes! I know you're here to kill me." Grimmjow stared at Guerra with bloodshot eyes.

"Do you want me to help?" Nel asked.

"No! This is a fight to the death between him and me. I don't need your help," Grimmjow said.

"You should listen to him, Neliel-san," Guerra smirked. "Besides, someone's waiting for you…" he pointed his hands at the five towers a fair distance behind him. "… in there." Nel tensed at his words. She knew who it was.

"If Pestilencia's waiting for me, then I might as well oblige," she said. Without another word she Sonido-ed off towards the towers, leaving Grimmjow behind.

"Are you going to let her get away like that?" Grimmjow asked.

"Of course. Pestilencia will deal with her as she sees fit. My target is you alone," Guerra flexed his muscles. "We still haven't settled the score from four years back." They stared at each other, as a large gust of wind blew across the surface of the sand. Guerra jumped into the air and Grimmjow followed. They now hovered a hundred feet above the ground, and continued to stare at each other.

"I want to ask you a question," Guerra said.

"What is it? Spill it out!" Grimmjow yelled.

"Do you know what happened to Ulquiorra-kun?" Grimmjow was taken aback.

"You know about that poor emotional wreck?" he laughed. Guerra nodded.

"He was my nakama when we were ordinary Vasto Lordes. Back then, I noticed he had a habit of being deadpan. I was surprised when he openly joined the Espada and began serving Aizen so faithfully," Guerra said.

"It's funny that you say that. Ulquiorra was well known for being Aizen's loyal dog," Grimmjow smirked. "The rest of us Espada always mocked him behind his back."

"Is that so? I wonder then what they said about you? I remember seeing you when you were just a menos, a big kitty cat who managed to get his own posse and started thinking he was the king. Am I right?" Grimmjow gnashed his teeth in anger.

"You're going to pay for that comment!" he shouted

"We'll see about that!" Guerra shouted back. With blinding speed he flew at Grimmjow and crashed into him. He carried Grimmjow through several giant pillars and one building. Grimmjow managed to find his footing on a large platform and proceeded to kick Guerra hard in the stomach, sending him flying into the air. He followed it by firing a cero from his right hand, targeting it directly at Guerra. The Horseman saw what was coming and fired a counter-cero with his left pinkie. The two ceros clashed in mid air, causing a huge shockwave to ripple outwards, smashing through multiple pillars. Grimmjow piled on more spirit energy in the cero, and so did Guerra. Neither of them could overpower the other.

At this moment, Grimmjow fired another cero using his left hand. Guerra was almost caught by surprise. He barely had enough time to unsheathe his sword and block it. Now there was a true tug of war, as Guerra pushed back Grimmjow's right hand, whilst Grimmjow hammered Guerra's sword. Soon, it became apparent that Guerra was losing ground, as his cero began to weaken. In an act of desperation, he charged a bala in his foot and kicked outwards. Grimmjow didn't anticipate that move and was forced to stop firing as the bala narrowly missed him. The combined ceros exploded in a gigantic mid-air fireball. When the smoke cleared, both Grimmjow and Guerra were panting heavily, trying to recover the spirit energy they had lost in the cero duel.

"Unbelievable," Guerra said. "How did you get so powerful, Grimmjow?"

"You want to know?" Grimmjow asked. "I devoured Ulquiorra's body after he was defeated by the Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo. Because of that I've evolved into a Vasto Lorde just like you."

"Hah! So that's what happened to Ulquiorra," Guerra laughed. "You may have gotten stronger, but you're still the vicious animal you were before."

"Want me to show you that I'm not just a beast?" Grimmjow smirked. He unsheathed his sword and jumped into the air again. Neither of them wasted time staring at each other; they went straight into a supersonic sword fight. Grimmjow narrowly missed slicing Guerra's neck; Guerra's vertical slash at Grimmjow's head was barely blocked. The two combatants traded vicious blows in the air, tearing into each other's skin and drawing copious amounts of blood with every attack. They flew across the sky of Las Noches, each attack creating miniature shockwaves in the sand. Soon, Guerra was on the offensive, his lightning fast attacks forcing Grimmjow to block each blow just to stay alive. They locked swords, causing sparks to fly out. Guerra pushed with all of his strength and succeeded in smashing Grimmjow and himself into concrete pillar, causing it to collapse. He continued to push and carried Grimmjow high into the air.

"I've got you now!" Guerra exclaimed.

"Oh really?" Grimmjow smirked. "What's that over there?" Guerra looked where Grimmjow's hand was pointing. _He fell for it! _Grimmjow thought. He punched Guerra hard in the face, sending him falling towards the ground. Grimmjow Sonido-ed and landed on a platform as Guerra was still falling. He jabbed his sword in the stone, cut one of his fingers and used the blood that squirted out to charge a giant cero in his right hand. Within a minute, he had built up to maximum power just as Guerra managed to find his footing and slow his fall down. As he landed on the roof a building, he turned around and realised what Grimmjow was doing. He raised his sword to defend himself.

"Gran Rey Cero!" Grimmjow shouted. He fired a gigantic blue blast of energy at Guerra. It slammed into him like a missile, creating shockwaves that spread out from the epicentre. Guerra tried hard to stop the blast from overwhelming him, but he was been gradually pushed back as Grimmjow increased the intensity. The reality around them started to tear apart, creating humongous warp storms. Eventually, Guerra couldn't keep up his defence and was overwhelmed by the cero. He screamed as the blast consumed him. The Gran Rey Cero tore through the sands of Las Noches before it exploded into a brilliant shower of light, leaving behind a trench miles in length.

When the dust cleared, Guerra was still standing, but he had been horribly burned. His jacket had been blown off and his shirt and pants were shredded. Huge swathes of blood flowed down his arms and forehead as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Damn you, Grimmjow! I'm going to beat the shit out of you!" he swore.

"Ha, go ahead and try!" Grimmjow laughed. "You look half dead to me!" Guerra gripped his sword with both hands.

"Punish, Angellus!" he shouted. A huge plume of reiatsu and spirit energy surrounded his body, throwing up a cloud of smoke that rose into the sky. Grimmjow was astounded at the tremendous spiritual pressure that rose sharply. He covered his face with his arms until the transformation had finished. When he opened his eyes, he saw what Guerra had become. He looked nothing like he was before. His entire body had been covered with a thick, metallic armour, painted entirely silver, apart from his head. Bright shiny lights lit up around his chest and arms. His normal Zanpakto had been replaced by a monster of a sword. It was a five foot long, double-bladed broad sword. Flames burned around its edges. It looked impossible to hold with just one hand, but Guerra held it easily.

"I'm impressed," Grimmjow said. "Did you look like that when you are a Vasto Lorde?"

"Of course not. I didn't have this sword, which I'm going to use to tear you to pieces!" Guerra shouted. Grimmjow picked up his sword and waited for Guerra's attack. However, nothing could have prepared him for the speed at which Guerra moved. In a flash he was behind Grimmjow, and a second later, Grimmjow felt his chest and stomach region explode outwards in a shower of blood. He gasped for breath, spitting blood out of his mouth. The force of the attack knocked him off balance and he started toppling over. Guerra kicked him hard in the side, sending him crashing into the walls of a half-demolished building. Grimmjow tried hard to get up quickly, but before he did, Guerra channelled a huge amount of spirit energy into his blade.

"Inmolar," he muttered. A torrent of searing hot flames shot out the blade and engulfed Grimmjow. Grimmjow screamed in pain, as he felt his entire body being scorched from head to toe. He managed to leap into the air, but he was already severely burnt. His blue cape had completely disintegrated, whilst half of his jacket had been burnt off. Even worse, his old scars had swollen upwards and looked ready to burst open. Guerra landed on a half-broken platform beside him.

"Had enough yet?" he asked.

"Of course not!" Grimmjow yelled. "I still haven't released my sword yet!" he held his sword horizontally against his body and placed his left hand on the blade itself. "Grind, Pantera!" Like Guerra, he too was engulfed by a giant plume of reiatsu, causing a tornado of dust to rise from the ground and surround him. Grimmjow relished at the sensation of releasing, and took note of the changes that had happened to his body. Most of the his former feline features had disappeared. His hair had still grown, but his former cat ears had been replaced by two extensions to the back of his crown mask. His former claws were now extensions at the front of his side gauntlets rather than replacing his hands. Instead of cat paws for feet he now had sleek looking boots. The only part of him that remained was his tail, but it was a sleek looking thing, rather than the floppy tail he had before.

"Wow, I am astounded at the change in your appearance. You look nothing like the cat you once were," Guerra smile.

"I'll show you what else has changed!" Grimmjow shouted. In a split second he was right in front of Guerra and punched him hard in the face. Guerra was sent flying backwards for nearly three hundred yards before he stopped himself and jumped into the air. He didn't anticipate Grimmjow appearing right in front of him again. Grimmjow elbowed him in the chest with the razor sharp extensions at the end of his gauntlets, and then Sonido-ed behind him. He kicked Guerra hard in the back of the head, sending him crashing to the sand below. Without giving him any time to get back up Grimmjow unleashed a barrage of missiles from the front of his gauntlets, raining them down on Guerra in a blistering display of firepower. The ground below lit up in a cascade of explosions, throwing up huge plumes of sand into the air.

After firing over two dozen missiles, Grimmjow stopped and inspected the damage. The ground below was now pockmarked with miniature craters, and the area around the blast zone was covered with ash. When the smoke finally cleared, Grimmjow saw Guerra, standing upright like nothing had happened to him. His face had burn marks all over him and his front armour was slightly cracked, but there were no other visible signs of damage from the missiles. Grimmjow was stunned.

"Impossible! Each of those missiles can demolish a pillar!" he exclaimed.

"Well, it appears that they're not strong enough to breach my hierro," Guerra smirked. He stretched his arms before picking up his sword again. "It was an impressive display regardless, but you'll have to do more than that to overcome me." Grimmjow gnashed his teeth in frustration. He had gained a massive amount of power after evolving into a Vasto Lorde, but he had forgotten that his opponent was also a Vasto Lorde, albeit one far older and more experienced than him.

Guerra jumped into the air to resume their battle. He swung his massive sword at Grimmjow's chest again, but this time Grimmjow managed to block it with both of his gauntlets. They pressed against each other for a whole minute, causing shockwaves to reverberate outwards. They then parted and began trading blows in the air. Guerra unleashed a flurry of strikes with his sword. Each strike was blocked by Grimmjow, who retaliated by slashing at Guerra's armour with his retracted claws. Unlike his missiles, his claws succeeded piercing through Guerra's armour and drawing blood. He couldn't continuously block and counter-attack however, and eventually Guerra managed to slice through his shoulders. Grimmjow grunted in pain as blood spurted out. In desperation, he extended his now incredibly prehensile tail and wrapped it around Guerra's waist. He started to spin the tail around at supersonic speeds before he released Guerra, sending him falling towards the sand below.

He was shocked when Guerra stopped himself from falling and fired another blast of raging hot fire from his sword. _Shit, even in my released form, I can't block all of the damage_, Grimmjow thought. He decided to fire another salvo of missiles, this time concentrating them all into a single spiralling jet. The missiles blew most of the fire away. But enough of the fire was left to consume Grimmjow. At the same time, the missiles slammed into Guerra, causing another series of huge explosions. Still smouldering from the flames, Grimmjow touched down on the surface of the sand. He saw that the missiles had hit Guerra hard, breaking off most of his chest armour. They were both panting heavily.

"Let's finish this battle off with one final blow," Guerra said. With a wave of his hand he summoned a giant flaming horse beside him. "This is my steed, Dhorghar." He hopped onto the horse's back and extended his sword into a ten foot long flaming lance.

"Ha, that's quite impressive," Grimmjow said. "Very well then, I'll go all out too!" With a burst of energy, he made a series of blue energy claws to shoot out of his gauntlets. They extended outwards to a length of three feet. "This is Desugarron, my most powerful attack." Guerra grinned. He reared up his horse and directed it to charge at Grimmjow. Grimmjow Sonido-ed towards Guerra, his right hand extending the Desugarron outwards. They met in a titanic clash of reiatsu, causing a final devastating shockwave that literally shook the foundations of Las Noches. As Grimmjow's claws grinded against Guerra's spear, the teal-haired Arrancar managed to slip by the Horseman's defences. In a single step he jabbed his Desugarron straight through Guerra's neck.

In an instant Guerra's armour shattered along with his steed and spear, leaving behind a bleeding, badly burnt mess.

"Urgh, you got me," Guerra grunted. "I can't believe I lost." He spat out a wade of blood onto Grimmjow's face, and then managed a couple of hoarse laughs. "Well, are you going to devour me not?"

"No, I'm just going to let you die," Grimmjow said. He retracted his claws, causing Guerra to drop onto his knees. A second later his head fell off his body, which slowly began to disintegrate into nothing. With a sigh of relief Grimmjow returned to his unreleased form. He surveyed the damage around him. Their battle had literally destroyed every single building in Las Noches except for the five towers.

* * *

Nel Sonido-ed towards the base of the five towers and smashed through the front entrance. She had sensed the gigantic clash of spiritual pressures occurring behind her; Grimmjow was obviously having the fight of his life. She continued past the entrance and ran along a large hallway with marble columns lining both sides. Numerous smaller hollows seemingly jumped in the way to bar her path. Nel slashed through them all with her sword. As she continued to run, she recalled the events that happened to her four years prior…

_Nel opened her eyes and saw the ravaged, bleeding body of Nnoitra, her former colleague turned enemy, lying face down on the sand before her. She couldn't quite remember why she felt affection for him, even though she was sure he had played a major role in her life. _

_"Nnoi…Nnoitra?" she asked. She saw the orange haired girl running towards Itsygo, when a strange appeared and took hold of her. Then Itsygo and another weird guy with spiky hair tried to stop him but he disappeared along with the orange haired girl. Before she knew it, Itsygo had rushed into the distance, without even saying a word._

_"What shall we do with her?" the scary looking person with spiky hair asked._

_"Let's keep her! She looks so pretty!" a small pink-haired girl about Nel's size laughed. For some reason, Nel felt frightened, and instinctively dived under Nnoitra's body for protection. She felt something squishy under her hands. She looked down and saw it was blood. She had a lick of it; to her surprise it was delicious. She wanted more of it. She kept on licking the blood on the sand without even wondering why she was doing it. Soon, the blood started to dry up, but Nel still felt unsatisfied. _

_Looking up, she could see the insides of Nnoitra, dripping with blood and guts. Whether it was out of starvation or pure instinct, she started chomping on the skin. After she took the first bite she couldn't stop. She munched through Nnoitra's whole body, savouring the taste of his flesh. Eventually, nothing was left of him except a pile of bones._

_"Aah, that was delicious," Nel said. To took her a while to realize her voice had changed. She looked down and noticed she had returned to her adult body. Even worse, she was topless and completely covered with blood. She now felt disgusted with herself for having surrendered to her base animal instincts. As she got up, she was surrounded by a group of Shinigami, most of them dressed in white cloaks. She tried to run away"Hold it there, Arrancar," a female Shinigami with the white cloak spoke to her._

_"What do you want?" Nel asked._

_"We require your assistance to help us get out of Hueco Mundo. Can you help us?"_

_"What if I refuse?" Nel suddenly had a sword pointed towards her neck by a male Shinigami with fancy hair clippings and a white scarf._

_"If you refuse, we shall kill you on the spot," he said. _

_"Alright then, I shall help you get out, but in return, you shall spare the lives of my nakama. And…" she walked up to the fallen body of Grimmjow. "Please heal him." _

Nel snapped back to reality, realizing she had almost lost sight of her objective. The memory of what she did as a toddler still sickened her; Nnoitra may have brutally assaulted her and left her for dead, but he was still living being, unworthy of the cruel fate that befell him. Nel cursed herself for breaking her moral vows back then.

Unbeknownst to her, someone had been watching her movements well before she even entered the throne building. As she climbed up a long spiral of stairs to the nearest tower, she began to feel an ominous presence hovering around her. Nel reached the top of the stairs and walked into a large circular room. A second later a cero came flying past, just grazing her left cheek. She looked around and saw where it had come from. Sitting in a luxurious chair at the top of a large flight of stairs was a face that Nel recognised.

"Sierra Pestilencia," she muttered. The silver-haired Arrancar laughed as she stood up. She was wearing an extremely low cut dress that bared almost half her breasts. Her mask fragments lined her neck in the shape of a necklace. Were it not for her pale looking skin, she'd have been considered pretty.

"Well, well, we meet again, Neliel tu Oderschwank," Pestilencia said, walking down the stairs. "I'm surprised that you had the nerve of showing your face here again after what happened four years ago." Nel placed her right hand on her sword. Pestilencia noticed her action and smiled.

"Are you planning to attack so soon? We haven't had the opportunity for a decent conversation-" she was cut shot when Nel fired a cero that grazed her right cheek.

"What is there to talk about? You defeated me four years ago. I've been training in the desert all this time and I've come back for revenge," Nel said. She watched Pestilencia lick the blood flowing down the side of her face.

"Mmm, delicious isn't it?" Pestilencia asked. "You know what Arrancar blood tastes like don't you? I heard from someone else that you once gorged yourself with blood and devoured the body of your former comrade. Is that true?" Nel didn't bother replying. She didn't want to talk about what happened between her and Nnoitra.

"Hmph, fine then. If you don't feel like talking with your mouth, we'll talk with our blades instead!" Pestilencia shouted. She unsheathed her sword and flew down the flight of stairs. Nel gripped her sword tightly and Sonido-ed towards her. They met in a clash of blades that caused shockwaves to ripple through the entire tower.

* * *

Renji, Ishida, Pesche and Dondochakka finally made it to the inner sanctum area. They were all panting heavily after running up seemed like an endless flight of stairs.

"Why do they make the stairs so damn long?" Ishida asked.

"Perhaps the people who built this place thought big," Renji replied. They looked up and saw the sand of Las Noches around them. It was a desolate place, made more so by a seemingly endless trail of devastation. Battered pillars, half-run down buildings and huge piles of rubble littered the sand.

"Man, what happened here?" Renji asked. "It looks like the scene of a warzone."

"I don't remember Las Noches being this ruined the last time we were here," Ishida said. They walked across the sand, surveying the shattered ruins around them. There were still fires smouldering on the ground.

"It appears that someone fought a ferocious battle," Pesche said. They walked around a corner and spotted the face of Grimmjow, sitting on a half-broken piece of concrete. He was badly burnt and bleeding all over, and his jacket had been blown off his body.

"Hey, Grimmjow, what are you doing here?" Renji asked.

"What do you think dumbass?" Grimmjow barked at him. "I'm recuperating from my injuries."

"You don't seem to be doing it very well," Ishida pushed up his glasses and a pretend smug look. Pesche and Dondochakka started searching around, overturning concrete blocks and girders.

"What are you two doing?" Renji asked.

"We're searching for Nel-sama!" Dondochakka yelled. "Nel-sama where are you?'

"Shut up!" Grimmjow shouted. "One more word from both of you and I'll blow your heads off." Pesche and Dondochakka quivered in fear. Just then they felt the ground tremble. Renji and Ishida sensed a massive clash of reiatsu nearby. Grimmjow closed his eyes.

"Nel is fighting an all-out battle. She would not want anyone to interrupt her," Grimmjow said. "We shall stay here until the battle is finished. Whether she lives or dies is none of your business."

"That's some smart thinking," Ishida said. "If I was in her place, I wouldn't want anyone to disrupt my concentration. They waited for the battle to end.

* * *

Ichigo felt relieved as he saw Rukia eyes open. He had watched as Urahara healed her for several hours. Her injuries had been more serious than he though. Though her vital organs escaped injury, she had still been pierced in many places, and by the time Ichigo and Urahara had come to her she already lost a lot of blood. Rukia tried getting up but she gasped as she felt pain in her abdomen,

"Take it easy now, Kuchiki-san," Urahara said in his shopkeeper accent. "You wouldn't want to reopen your wounds, right?" Rukia lay back down again.

"Rukia, are you alright?" Ichigo asked.

"I am," she replied. She suddenly looked around her. "What have you done with Ashido?"

"I've buried him deep in the ground beside you." Rukia felt a sigh a relief. Ichigo saw the look on her face and felt sad. "I couldn't prevent you from getting hurt again." Rukia was now pissed off.

"It's not your fault. I was the one who got careless and ended getting hurt like this," Rukia said. "You don't have to always watch out for me." Ichigo wanted to say something, but he refrained from saying it. He knew the vow he made in front of Byakuya wouldn't survive completely intact.

"Alright you two, it's time to go!" Urahara snapped close his fan.

"Rukia, can I at least carry you on my back?" Ichigo asked. "Your body's still recovering, so rest for a while." Rukia smiled affectionately. She had seldom seen Ichigo be this chivalrous to her. Ichigo slowly lifted her onto his back, and grunted as he realized she was heavier than expected.

"Let's go Urahara-san." They Shunpo-ed across the Forest of Menos until they reached the surface exit. The fortress of Las Noches stood out starkly against the night sky. It looked so close, but Ichigo knew it was much further away than it seemed. They started Shunpo-ing across the sand in order to reach the walls of Las Noches as fast as possible. Even at Ichigo's maximum speed, it still seemed like hours before they finally arrived at the walls.

"Well Urahara-san, this is it," Ichigo said. "The only way through is to smash through this wall." Urahara ran his hand along the surface of the wall.

"It's not made of Seki-seki stone," he said. Ichigo quickly unsheathed his sword and jumped to Shikai.

"That means it's easily breakable," Ichigo said. He fired a huge Getsuga Tensho at the wall, creating a twenty foot high crack. The three of them entered Las Noches…

* * *

Note: Grimmjow's battle was definitely something I wanted to write for a long time. An all out, no-holds battle between two hollows who just want to kill each other. They definitely succeeded in destroying most of Las Noches.

Vido Guerra: Guerra is is surname; his first name does not mean anything. His resurrecion is Angellus, which means Angel in Spanish. I designed him to be as similar to the depiction of the Horseman war in the bible, complete with a huge sword and flaming horse. His connection with Ulquiorra was something that I added to flesh out his character

Speaking of Ulquiorra, I used his death as a means for Grimmjow to evolve. Even though Arrancars take on human like appearance and aspects, I still think at heart they're hollows, so the basic mechanism for hollows to evolve remains the same. By devouring a much stronger hollow than him, Grimmjow was able to evolve into a Vasto Lorde

The same goes for Nel. I know that many readers will find her flashback scene extremely contraversial. I was torn between depicting her in child form and adult form. In the end, I decided that as a child she'd probably have a much less developed understanding of morality, and would probably succumb to her her hollow instincts faster than her adult form does. But I made sure that as she would realize the implications of her act when she changed back to an adult.

Hopefully readers out there will understand my reasons for writing that scene. All of the reviews so far have been very helpful and have given me great feedback.


	24. Chapter 24: White WitchBlack Witch

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Sado and Hiyori entered Hueco Mundo to find Urahara and bring him back. With the help of Ashido, Ichigo and Rukia found Urahara hiding in the Menos Forest. Meanwhile, the others, along with Grimmjow, Nel, Pesche, Dondochakka and Gantenbein, broke into Las Noches to eliminate the remaining Horsemen of the Apocalypse. After the three Steeds were all taken down, Grimmjow faced off with the Horseman Guerra in an epic battle to the death that left most of Las Noches ruins. Grimmjow, with his newly evolved powers, defeated Guerra, leaving Nel to deal with the trecherous Horseman Pestilencia inside Aizen's former throne room. Finally, after giving Ashido a fitting burial, Ichigo, Rukia and Urahara arrived at the walls of Las Noches...

* * *

Chapter 24: White Witch/Black Witch

The five towers of the central throne room shuddered. Inside one of the towers, a fierce battle was raging between Nel and the Horseman Pestilencia. Each clash, each sword strike unleashed a tremendous amount of spiritual pressure, causing the entire room to vibrate furiously. They locked swords, grinding their blades against each other, trying to overpower the other with sheer force. Eventually their blades slipped, and the two of them stood with their backs facing each other. This sudden movement caused a giant shockwave to reverberate across the room, smashing a clean hole through the tower.

A second later Nel and Pestilencia locked swords again. This time, the tug of war only lasted a few seconds, before the two of them jumped into the air and began a furious mid-air duel. Both of them Sonido-ed around the tower trying to get at openings in the other's defence. Pestilencia cut a long gash across Nel's right breast; Nel countered with a similar slash to Pestilencia's left breast. Blood spurted out of their bodies for a brief moment as both of them grasped their chests. Nel saw that Pestilencia was charging a Bala in her left foot. She countered by charging a Bala herself in her right foot. They kicked at the same time, their feet landing squarely in the other's cheek. Both of them were sent flying backwards for a while before they did a somersault whirlwind spin to land gracefully on the ground. They stared at each other as they caught their breaths back.

"Ha! Not bad at all," Pestilencia laughed. "You managed to keep up with my movements. So you have been doing some training."

"Of course," Nel twirled her sword around her hand. "I've spent more than enough time in the desert to think of something other than just wandering round."

"Well, then, let's see if your training has paid off!" Pestilencia charged at Nel and launched a vicious downward slash. Nel blocked it effortlessly. Clearly frustrated, Pestilencia tried kicking a charged Bala with her left leg again. Nel dissipated the Bala and caught her foot. With a tremendous heave she started spinning Pestilencia around in circles before throwing her towards the opposite side of the tower. Before she hit the wall Pestilencia managed to do a back flip, jumping off the wall with a huge bang. She flew past Nel, cutting a large gash through her shoulder. Nel gasped in pain and spat out blood. As she began to fall backwards, she took the opportunity to do a somersault and kicked Pestilencia hard in the back, smashing her face into the stone. Nel then jumped into the air and slashed downwards with her sword. Pestilencia easily blocked it.

To Nel's surprise, Pestilencia started charging a cero with her left middle and index fingers. At point blank range, there was no way to escape. Nel was hit directly by the cero. She was blasted out of the tower and crashed into the tower immediately beside it, skidding on the floor with her feet. Fortunately she had managed to reduce most of the damage by blocking it with her arms, which were now badly burnt and dripping with blood. She saw Pestilencia come charging at her. Nel ducked her sword thrust and slashed hard at her waist. Pestilencia screamed out as she was sent flying backwards, smashing into a wall. Copious amounts of blood flowed down her belly. Nel watched as Pestilencia climbed out of the hole she had made and dropped to the blood, gasping for breath.

"Damn you, Neliel…" she swore at her. "Take this!" She embedded her sword in the ground, cut open her right pinkie and used the blood to charge spirit energy in her hands. Nel knew what she was going to do. Pestilencia finished charging and pointed both hands at Nel.

"Gran Rey Cero!" she shouted, firing a massive blast from her hands. Nel stood motionless as she watched the gigantic blue fly towards her.

"Ha, ha, ha, you're going to take it head on?" Pestilencia asked. "Then die!!" She was stunned when Nel easily blocked the cero with her left hand, then disgusted when she saw Nel literally devour the cero whole. After the entire cero had been sucked in, Nel's body glowed a bright blue, with her eyes becoming flaming yellow. Then Nel discharged the Gran Rey Cero that was even larger than the one Pestilencia fired. Still frozen by what she had seen, Pestilencia had no time to dodge it. The Gran Rey Cero hit her directly, sending her smashing into a nearby tower. Nel Sonido-ed through the giant hole in the side of the tower and landed beside Pestilencia, who was gasping for breath. Her body had been badly burnt, and most of her dress had been blasted off, leaving her almost naked. Blood pooled around her arms and legs.

"It is over, Pestilencia," Nel said. "I won't take your life."

"Screw you!" Pestilencia shouted. "Don't give me with your fake mercy!" She grasped her sword and stuck it in her mouth. "Torment, Medusa!" The sword disappeared her throat and her whole body started to mutate. Pestilencia moaned as if she was in ecstasy. Huge lumps of purple bone shot out of her shoulders and began to cover her body. Nel watched with some disgust as her enemy transformed into a hideous roach-like creature. Pestilencia gave out a loud scream and unleashed a massive explosion of reiatsu. Nel covered her face to protect herself. When she opened again she saw what Pestilencia had become. Her skin was now light purple, covered by black armour that resembled her old dress. Her hair now consisted of numerous snakes that slithered around. Instead of a sword she carried a black wand in her hand.

"What do you think Neliel? Are you impressed?" Pestilencia asked.

"More like I'm disgusted," Nel threw an insult at her. Pestilencia was furious.

"At my appearance? How dare you question my beautiful figure! You shall pay for that insult!" Pestilencia shouted. She pointed her wand at Nel and fired a green jet of energy. Nel was caught off guard by the attack and failed to dodge the jet in time. It hit her squarely in the chest, sending her flying backwards a hundred feet. She managed to find her footing and jumped into the air. Pestilencia fired another green jet at her. This time Nel managed to deflect the beam with her sword. It smashed a hole through the tower. Nel Sonido-ed towards Pestilencia, and charged a cero in her left index finger. As soon as she got within three feet she fired it at Pestilencia's head.

To Nel's shock the cero rebounded off Pestilencia and hit her hard in the left shoulder. She was sent flying backwards and landed on her knees. Nel gasped and clutched her shoulder in pain, wandering what had happened. She looked up and saw a swirling green cloud surrounding Pestilencia's body.

"Surprised? This is my special defence mechanism, Verde Niebla," Pestilencia explained. It can block all attacks that are targeted at me. Now, prepare to be devoured…" She spread out her arms. Nel looked on with horror as a swarm of cockroaches emerged from her armpits.

"Behold, my legion of Cucaracha," Pestilencia laughed. "They can devour a regular Gillian within seconds!" In desperation, Nel got up and walked backwards. She ended up losing her footing and fell onto her rear end. The cockroaches were now almost at her feet. _Looks like I have no choice but to do this_, Nel thought. She held her sword out in front of, placing her left hand upon the blade.

"Declare, Gamuza," she said. In an instant a giant sphere of reiatsu surrounded her, obscuring her from view. Pestilencia gritted her teeth as all of her cockroaches were blown away. She opened her eyes again and saw Nel emerge from the smoke. Like Grimmjow, she had evolved into a Vasto Lorde after eating Nnoitra. No longer was she a centaur like being. Now the lower half of her legs resembled a fawn's. Her hot pants had changed into an elegant white skirt, covered with flowers and leaves. Likewise her green top was now a shining white breastplate. Draped around her neck was a flowing green cape that hung down to her waist. Her ears were now long and pointy, whilst her mask now resembled a stag's. Instead of a sword, she was now holding a five foot long staff that doubled as a spear. Pestilencia was stunned by her appearance.

"What are you? Some kind of witch?" she asked. Nel found that question amusing.

"If you say I'm a witch, then so are you," she said. Pestilencia wasn't amused by that comment. She raised her wand and charged at her blindly.

"I'm a far better witch than you!" she screamed. She fired a green jet from her wand. Nel easily sidestepped it and slammed her staff into Pestilencia's face. She was sent flying backwards and crashed into a wall before falling onto the ground. Pestilencia crawled onto her knees, her face all bloody and her nose broken. Her wand was lying on the floor in front of her. She sneered evilly.

"You…you think an attack like that would stop me? Take this!" she raised both her hands and fired a ray of dark energy from them. Nel didn't bother to move. She simply covered herself with her cape and took the ray head on. The ray dissolved as soon as it touched her cape. Pestilencia was aghast.

"How, how did you do that?" she asked furiously. Nel smirked.

"This is my Floral Cloak," she explained. "It works on a similar basis to your green mist. It absorbs spirit energy and transfers it to me. You've just made me stronger with that attack." She pointed her staff at Pestilencia. "Want me to show you how much power I've gained?" She shot a shining beam of light at Pestilencia. Pestilencia covered herself with her mist, but to her shock the beam didn't bounce of it and reflect back at Nel. Instead it expanded into a bubble that completely surrounded her, which emitted and intense white light. A second later Pestilencia screamed in pain. Nel knew it was from being blinded by the radiation in the bubble. Nel released the bubble a second later, leaving Pestilencia to collapse onto her chest, her eyes nothing more than empty sockets.

"This is the power of my staff, Rayo de Sol," Nel said. "It bathes the target in an all encompassing light that is unescapable. You can no longer use your eyes anymore. I suggest you surrender now."

"NEVER!!" Pestilencia screamed at the top of her voice. She suddenly jumped onto her feet. Her hair literally came alive, as the eyes of the snakes on that made up her hair glowed a bright yellow. "I can see even better than before. Now, take my final attack! Negro Viento!" She took a deep breath and blew an ominous wind from her mouth. Nel breathed some of it in, and instantly felt a sharp pain in her chest. She coughed and spat a glut of blood from her mouth.

"Ha, ha, ha! How do you like that? My black wind contains a deadly virus! It attacks the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Soon your entire body will haemorrhage! I hope you enjoy a painful death!" Pestilencia laughed insanely. Nel panicked as she felt her blood vessels start to swell off. Whatever virus had it was, it certainly felt painful. _I have to somehow stop the virus from spreading…_she thought. A second later she realized the perfect solution. She spat some of her saliva onto her left hand and reached down into her skirt. She felt her hollow her and placed the saliva inside. Nel shuddered as the saliva multiplied and took effect. She looked up at Pestilencia, who had watching on with a disgusted look.

"What did you just do? Is this the time to be feeling yourself?" she asked.

"I was trying to kill the virus," Nel replied. "I have a gland inside my throat that creates a special healing saliva which can close up wounds and exterminate germs. Now I'm effectively immune from your black wind." Pestilencia froze for brief moment. Then she started shaking all over.

"This, this cannot be! No one is immune to my black wind!" Pestilencia shouted. "One more dose should be enough to kill you!" She breathed out again. This time, Nel placed her staff in her mouth and blowed on it. Not only was she safe from breathing in the gas, but she was also playing a tune with her staff. As she played, tiny dust particles appeared in the air and used the black wind to float towards Pestilencia. They latched onto her skin and instantly sprouted into thick entangling thorns that completely bound Pestilencia's arms and legs. She struggled and squirmed to break out of it. Nel seized the chance to channel most of her spirit energy into her staff. It changed shape, growing another two feet. The tip of the staff extended outwards and sharpened to become a spearhead. Nel raised her spear high above her head. Blue sparks crackled around the spear as it was fully charged.

"Lanzador Verde," she spoke. With a great heave she threw the spear at Pestilencia. As soon as it left her hand it started to spin at a rapid speed, creating enough drive to propel the spear on its own. The spear smashed into Pestilencia's head and started drilling a hole through her temple. She gave out a final terrifying screech before her entire body started to dissolve. Within a few seconds she was gone, and the spear fell onto the ground. Nel breathed deeply as she returned to her sealed form. A spasm erupted in her chest, causing her to cough up another mouthful of blood. She slowly hobbled out of the tower and descended down onto the building below. As she did so, the tower she was in toppled over, as did the other four towers. Apparently the damage they took during the battle was enough to cause them to collapse.

* * *

Ichigo ran as fast as he could along a narrow corridor, with Rukia perched upon his shoulder and Urahara right beside him. Apparently he had broken through a section of that was close to the spot he and his friends had used the first time they entered Las Noches. It was no surprise then for him to stumble into the five corridor intersection again.

"Damn, not thise place!" Ichigo swore. "We're not going to split up and try each path."

"Of course not, Kurosaki-san," Urahara smiled. "Let me get something out of my pocket." He reached into his coat and pulled out a strange device that gave off a persistent beeping noise.

"There are three strong spiritual pressures about a mile to the northwest of us. If we pick that corridor, we should be able to get there directly," Urahara pointed to the path on the far left. Ichigo nodded. The three of them started running Shunpo-ing down the corridor. They soon came across a large hallway filled with tons of collapsed pillars and a stairway at the other end. It felt suspiciously familiar to Ichigo; he remembered his first battle with Ulquiorra. Whether or not it was the same hallway mattered little to him. They climbed up the stairs and walked onto the sand of the inner sanctum.

"Rukia, are you feeling better now?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes, I feel much better," Rukia kissed Ichigo on the cheek. "Thank you for looking after me. I can walk by myself now."

"Alright, but take it easy. You haven't gotten recovered your energy yet," Ichigo said. He and Urahara Shunpo-ed across the sand at a slower pace to allow Rukia to keep up. A while later, Ichigo spotted three figures up ahead. Two of them were quite big whilst the third was smaller in stature. As they got close up, Ichigo recognised their faces. It was Sado, Hiyori and that Arrancar with the afro.

"Hey there! How have you guys been?" Ichigo asked as he waved his wand.

"Um, we're fine Ichigo," Sado replied. Hiyori saw the face of Urahara and snapped. She jumped up and kicked him hard in the face. Urahara let out a pathetic whimper as he was toppled onto his back. Hiyori stood on his stomach.

"You have some explaining to do, Mr. Sandal-hat!" Hiyori shouted. "You still haven't paid me back for the favour I did for you a century ago!"

"Oh yes, that favour," Urahara remembered. "I'll pay you when we get back."

"That's not good enough!" Hiyori started beating the crap out of Urahara. Ichigo and Rukia looked on with amused faces. After Hiyori got tired of punching Urahara, who was all battered and bruised but suffered no real injuries, the six of them ran across the sand of Las Noches. Ichigo looked around and noticed that nearly all of the buildings had been completely destroyed. Everywhere he encountered toppled pillars, piles of rubble and burnt out buildings.

"Man, this entire place is totally trashed," Ichigo said. "Did a huge battle take place here?'

"Yeah, the big guy and I encountered an Arrancar. Both of them went all out, and I almost got caught in the crossfire," Hiyori replied. "I must say though, your friend Sado has some disturbing powers." Both Ichigo and Urahara knew what she meant. Sado's hollow powers had been worrying Ichigo ever since they fought at the gates of Soul Society. A while later, Ichigo and the others encountered even further devastation and wreckage. Urahara's tracking device went off, detecting at least five strong spiritual pressures nearby. After a quick turn of the corner, they stumbled upon the source of the spiritual pressures: Renji, Ishida, Pesche, Dondochakka and Grimmjow, who were all sitting on pieces of broken rubble. When they saw Ichigo Renji and Ishida got up and ran towards them.

"Ichigo, Rukia, Sado!" Renji exclaimed. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Ichigo replied. "Rukia and Chad are a little worse for wear though, and Urahara got beat up by Hiyori. What about you two?"

"We haven't suffered a scratch. These two insects did the work for us," Ishida pointed to Pesche and Dondochakka.

"Hey, it's rude to point fingers at other people like that!" Pesche complained. Ichigo looked at Grimmjow, who was covered with blood.

"Where is Nel?" he asked. Grimmjow stared at him.

"Inside Aizen's former throne room; she's probably finished her fight by now," Grimmjow said.

"Then have all of the enemy Arrancars been eliminated?" Rukia asked.

"Of course!" Grimmjow exclaimed. "Every single one of those motherfucking horsemen is dead! Now I'm free at last to do as I please. If I wasn't totally beat up as I am now I'd seek another fight with you, Kurosaki!"

"I'd be happy to fight you some other time, but for now, we've got more important things to worry about," Ichigo said. "Let's go meet Nel in the throne room." The entire group got up and trudged across the sand until they reached the throne room building. It was apparent that a brutal battle had taken place here, for all five of the towers were now collapsed and the main building itself was full of holes. As Ichigo neared the demolished front entrance Nel suddenly appeared, covered with blood but otherwise seemingly fine.

"Ichigo!" Nel shouted. She threw herself into Ichigo's arms. Ichigo gave out a comedic yell as he was toppled over. He winced as Nel's breasts dangled perilously close above his face.

"Nel, you're suffocating me!" Ichigo whimpered. Nel let go of him a minute later, leaving him gasping for breath. He looked around and noticed everyone else were either laughing, amused or embarrassed at what happened.

"Okay, enough fun and games now children," Urahara called out in his shopkeeper voice. "It's time to go back." Ichigo knew full well what Urahara meant. He stared at Nel, Grimmjow, Nel's Fraccion and the Orange afro Arrancar.

"Well, it's been great meeting all of you again, but we have to return to Soul Society," he said. Nel and Grimmjow were disappointed.

"You're leaving so soon? We barely got to talk at all!" Nel exclaimed.

"Sorry Nel, but our main mission was to find Urahara. We've helped you exterminate the remaining Arrancar in Las Noches, so you and Grimmjow shouldn't face any challengers in the foreseeable future." As soon as finished saying that, he was grabbed in the collar by Grimmjow and lifted off the ground.

"What bullshit are you sprouting Kurosaki? You think you can run away from our rematch so easily? Why don't we fight here and now!" Grimmjow shouted. He was about to raise his fist and punch Ichigo in the face, when Nel grabbed his arm.

"Stop it Grimmjow!" Nel shouted. "Let him go." Grimmjow gave her a vicious stare before he dropped Ichigo and stormed off. Ichigo got onto his feet again.

"Grimmjow, I'd love to fight you again, but there are far more important tasks to deal with, like overthrowing Aizen," he said. "Once the war is finished, I'll be happy to come here again and we can have a proper rematch with no interruptions." Grimmjow froze for a few seconds but didn't reply. He turned his head towards Ichigo for a brief moment before he Sonido-ed off. Ichigo then looked at Nel.

"I understand what you mean now Ichigo," Nel said. You are Shinigami, we are hollow. Despite the similarities we share, at our core we are still different from each other. Grimmjow and I will, my Fraccion and Gantenbein will live the rest of our lives in Las Noches. We'll try to prevent any other Vasto Lorde from arising and posing a threat to the real world or Soul Society."

Ichigo nodded and hugged Nel for the last time. The rest of his friends bid their good their goodbye too. Pesche and Dondochakka were bursting with ears at the thought of never seeing Ishida or Renji again.

"Boohoohoo!!" Dondochakka cried. "Don't go Renji! I'll miss you so much Yansu!!" He was literally crushing Renji to death.

"I know, I know. Now could just get off me?" Renji asked.

"Let me come with you Uyru!" Pesche shouted as he chased Ishida around.

"No way! I'm not taking a creepy ant thing like you back with me!" Ishida yelled. Sado and Gantenbein had a more dignified farewell, shaking each other's hands.

"I never knew hollows could be this emotional," Rukia said as she stood beside Ichigo.

"They aren't ordinary hollows at all," Ichigo said; "In some ways, they are just as human as us. Seeing their human side makes the curse of their hollow side all the more tragic." Rukia looked at Ichigo's face and understood the hidden meaning behind his words. She knew his inner hollow had nearly turned him the same way. After everyone had farewelled each other, Urahara opened a Garganta right in front of them. One by one, Ichigo's group stepped into the Garganta. Ichigo was the second last one, waving goodbye to Nel. He stood inside the Garganta and watched as Urahara closed the portal, sealing it away from Hueco Mundo.

* * *

The trip through the Garganta was relatively uneventful and soon Ichigo and the others exited the portal and found themselves back in Soul Society. To their surprise, the entire Gotei 13 had been awaiting their arrival. All of the remaining Captains and Vice Captains were standing in a semi-circle surrounding the Garganta. As Ichigo stepped out of the portal he was greeted by Isshin, Yuzu and Karin. They took turns hugging Ichigo; with Isshin almost squeezing Ichigo to death before Ichigo kicked him in the face. Urahara closed the Garganta once everyone had stepped out of it. Ichigo was then approached by Commander General Unohana.

"Well done Captain Kurosaki," Unohana said. "You have successfully executed your mission. We shall hold a general debriefing within a weeks' time, but for now you are free to return to your division headquarters."

"Thank you, Commander Unohana," Ichigo bowed.

"However, Urahara Kisuke must be taken in for questioning." Ichigo stared at Urahara in shock. Urahara merely nodded his head.

"I accept whatever fate that has been decided for me," he said. He held out his hands. A pair of guards placed spiritual handcuffs on him.

"Don't be so hasty Kisuke," Yoruichi whispered in his ear. "We haven't made a decision regarding you yet, not until you tell us what you've been up to."

"So if you want to keep your life, you'd had better play along," Soifon whispered in Urahara' other ear. Urahara nodded silently. He found it ironic to be questioned by the same division he had served faithfully as chief warden. Ichigo and Rukia had watched the entire scene unfold out and were at loss for words. Just then, Ichigo was tapped on the shoulder by Tessai.

"Excuse me, Captain Kurosaki, but your division is waiting for you," Tessai said.

"My division has been assembled?" Ichigo asked.

"Yes. I've gathered together the former remnants of the Kido Corps and merged them with the existing members of the 5th division. You now have two hundred soldiers awaiting your orders at your barracks"

"Thank you, Captain Tsukabishi," Ichigo bowed. After most of the other captains were dismissed he and Rukia Shunpo-ed off towards the 5th division barracks. Renji watched them leave with a smile on his face. He then approached his Vice Captain Yadomaru Lisa.

"Have you taken care of everything?" Renji asked.

"Of course," Lisa pushed up her glasses. "I was managing your division since before you were born. Everything is up and running as you requested."

"Good. I want to meet my loyal subordinates," Renji grinned. He and Lisa Shunpo-ed off towards their barracks. Now, only Ishida, Sado and Hiyori were still standing in the area where the Garganta had been.

"So, where are you two going to go?" Hiyori asked. She had already spotted Isshin, and was walking towards him.

"I'm going to find my father," Ishida said. "Do you know where he's gone?"

"Ah, I know where he is!" Isshin laughed. "He's in my office. We were enjoying some sake when we heard the Garganta open." Ishida smiled as he pushed up his glasses. He then looked at Sado.

"Do you want to come along?" he asked. Sado shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not sure. I've been thinking about what to do with the hollow inside me," Sado replied. Ishida, Isshin and Hiyori all knew what he was referring to.

"If you want some help, big guy, then I suggest you come with me," Hiyori said. "I'll get you in touch with someone who can help you with your inner hollow." Sado nodded. The four of them headed off to the 13th Division barracks.

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia walked through the front doors of their division barracks and were immediately greeted by Minazawa, their division's 3rd seat.

"Welcome back Captain Kurosaki and Vice Captain Kuchiki," Minazawa bowed. "The rest of us are waiting in the outdoor court. Please come this way." Ichigo and Rukia followed Minazawa through the labyrinthine corridors of the barracks. Along the way they stopped at division office where Minazawa gave Ichigo and Rukia a bundle each of papers.

"These are the personal information files on each member of the division," Minazawa said. "Most of our members come from the former Kido Corps, whilst the rest are old 5th division guys like me."

"Are there any new recruits?" Rukia asked.

"Yes, there are about ten members who are freshmen graduates from the last year the Shinigami Academy was in operation," Minazawa replied.

"Which would mean they have absolutely no experience as Shinigami," Ichigo scratched his head. "Well, these papers mean jack shit right now until we see them."

"You're right. Let's observe each member first before we decide what to do," Rukia said. They stepped out into the main court yard, and were greeted by an unbelievably loud cheer. Ichigo and Rukia were stunned at the enthusiasm of the two hundred crowd of Shinigami. The two of them stood on a small raised platform overlooking the courtyard."Well, captain, these are your men," Minazawa said. He walked back to join the ordinary rank and file. Ichigo scanned the group of people in front of him. Some of them appeared to be hardened veterans; others looked like washed-up rookies. The only common element they had was that each of them was older than Ichigo himself.

"What are you waiting for? Don't just stand there! Say something to them!" Rukia whispered into Ichigo's ear. Ichigo nodded and cleared his throat. He and took a deep breath and thought hard about what he should say.

"Um, hello everyone. I'm your captain, Kurosaki Ichigo," he addressed in a slightly hesitant tone. "I hope we can all work together to build a happy and cohesive team."

* * *

The Hueco Mundo arc concludes this chapter. Over the following chapters, the Shinigami of Soul Society begin their preparations for the inevitable war against Aizen.

Notes: Nel's battle with Pestilencia expresses the chapter title's theme of white witch and black witch perfectly. I wanted them to have abilities that mirrored each other's.

Sierra Pestilencia: Like Guerra, Pestilencia is her surname. She is based on the Horseman famine. Her release name is Medusa, which is based on the legendary greek monster of same name. Her resurrecion gives her many abilities, such as Verde Niebla (Green Mist), a Senbonzakura-like protective shield that repels all attacks, Cucaracha, a Spanish word for cockroaches that allows her to summon a swarm of cockroaches, and Negro Viento, or Black cloud in Spanish, a black poisonous gas that contains a deadly virus.

Gamuza: Nel's original released form was a centaur. However, I felt Kubo wasted an opportunity to give her decent battle. So, in making her evolve into a Vasto Lorde, I changed her released form into that of a fawn, complete with goat legs and horns. Like Pestilencia, Nel has a range of abilities at her disposal, such as her Floral Cloak, which can absorb attacks and grant Nel more energy, Rayo de Sol, her Solar Staff, which can trap enemies inside a sphere of intense radiation, and her original ability Lanzador Verde, which turns her staff into a powerful spear that can drill through even the toughest metal.

As a final word, I really appreciate all of the reviews that have come in. The time and effort I've devoted to writing this story would be a waste if no one reads it.


	25. Chapter 25: Shinigami Boot Camp

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo and his nakama entered Hueco Mundo to find the missing Urahara. With the help of Ashido, Ichigo successfully found Urahara and was told vital information about Aizen and Orihime. After burying Ashido, who lost his life, Ichigo, Urahara and Rukia escaped the forest of Menos and arrived at the walls of Las Noches. Meanwhile, inside Las Noches, Renji, Ishida, Sado and Hiyori, accompanied by Grimmjow, Nel, Nel's Fraccion and Gantenbein, had broken into Las Noches to eliminate the remaining Horsemen of the Apocalypse. After the Steeds had been dealt with Dondochakka, Pesche, Gantenbein and Sado, the Horseman Guerra was killed by Grimmjow. Inside the five towers of Aizen's former throne room, Nel fought Pestilencia and successfully defeated her in battle. Afterwards, everyone was reuinted on the sand of Las Noches for the final time. Ichigo and his nakama farewelled Grimmjow, Nel and the other hollows, and returned to Soul Society, where the reconstruction process was going along at full steam. As Urahara was taken in for questioning and, Ichigo and Rukia were introduced to their full strength division for the first time...

* * *

Chapter 25: Shinigami Boot Camp

Renji and Lisa received a shock when they entered the division captain's office. Sitting down on two of the plush chairs were Byakuya and Nanao. Both of them were drinking tea.

"Captain Kuchiki!" Renji exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" Byakuya looked up from his cup and smiled.

"Welcome back, Captain Abarai," Byakuya said. Renji felt a bit embarrassed at his former captain calling him by his formal title, something which Byakuya picked up on. "Are you uncomfortable with me treating you as an equal? You are no longer my subordinate; you are a captain of equal rank. If you'd prefer it, I can still call you Renji, but in turn you shall call me by my first name."

"Um, alright, Captain-I mean Byakuya," Renji blushed. Lisa giggled silently, which embarrassed Renji even further. "So, what are you doing here with your Vice Captain?"

"Actually, it was I who invited them over," Lisa said. "To assist Nanao's transition from the 8th to the 6th division and to pack up the belongings left by the late Captain Kyoraku." Upon the mentioning of her former captain's name, Nanao almost broke down again, but Lisa and Byakuya both tried to comfort her.

"Let's go back, Nanao," Byakuya said. He wrapped his arms around her as they walked out of the division office. Just before he left, he gave a curt nod to Renji, as recognition of his respect for him.

"I understand what Nanao is going through now, because I've been through the process many times before. Transferring to another division is always hard, especially if you've served in one division for a very long time," Renji said.

"It's been especially hard for Nanao, because she's been in the 8th division for her whole life," Lisa said with a tint of sadness. "She was just a baby when she was found by Shunsui, who adopted her and a group of other girls orphaned by the Quincy wars. He taught her how to be a Shinigami and the two of us virtually raised her as our daughter. As her fellow orphans died, got transferred or promoted to other divisions, Nanao remained steadfastly loyal to her captain. Thus, when I was forced to leave Soul Society after becoming a Vizard, she had the honour of being my replacement."

"I guess when the person who you look up to has shaped and guided you through every stage of your life; his death would have been a devastating blow," Renji said. Lisa nodded silently. Both of them had experienced their fair share of tragedy and despair. Renji remembered the day that Kuchiki Byakuya first cast his shadow over him, the same day that he and Rukia had severed their childhood bonds, an emotional wound from which Renji required more than forty years to recover from. Lisa remembered her horrific ordeal of being devoured by her hollow, and waking up utterly abandoned by the world she had served for so long. They smiled at each other, before acknowledging that there was much work to be done.

* * *

Byakuya carried Nanao into his office room and placed her on his personal bed. Her eyes were still red and watery; clearly the memory of Kyoraku was still too hard for her to bear. Byakuya placed a blanket over her and sat on a chair beside the bed. As he looked at his new Vice Captain, Byakuya felt a swelling of empathy and emotion that he had not experienced for nearly half a century. In some ways, Nanao reminded him of his beloved Hisana. They both had the same expressions of sadness and stoic resolve in their eyes. Byakuya placed his hands around Nanao's and held them tightly.

"Nanao, do you regard Shunsui as a father or as a soul mate?" Byakuya asked.

"Um, I considered him to be more like a father to me," Nanao replied. "He found me when I was just a child, raised me in his house, and trained me to be a Shinigami. I owe my entire life to him." Byakuya sensed that Nanao was about to cry again; acting instinctively, he kissed her gently on the cheek.

"It is hard to lose someone you regarded as your father," Byakuya said. "My parents died when I was just a boy, and for most of my life I was raised by my grandfather. He taught me just like Shunsui taught you. He died shortly after I became the head of the Kuchiki Clan. That, coupled with the loss of my wife, almost drove me to the brink of despair. Only the survival of my wife's sister, Rukia, gave me any hope to keep on living." He stared down at Nanao.

"Don't be sad Nanao. I promise that I will take care of you as good as Shunsui did," he said. Nanao stopped crying and smiled at Byakuya.

"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki. I will serve you as faithfully as I did for my former captain."

* * *

Urahara walked through the entrance to the massive 2nd Division complex, escorted by Yoruichi and Soifon. To him, it felt like a home coming, a return to the division he had served faithfully as a third seat.

"Brings back memories doesn't it?" Urahara asked. "The days when you were the captain, Soifon was your Vice, and I was just your lowly third seat?" Yoruichi and Soifon both smiled.

"It does brink back good memories," Yoruichi said. "The times have certainly changed. I'm no longer the one in charge." She looked at Soifon, who was looking smug all over.

"Heh, I still remember the days when you and I used to vie for Yoruichi-san's affection," Soifon smirked. She noticed Urahara's face began to blush all over. "I guess some things still haven't changed."

The two women accompanied Urahara to the Maggot's Nest. The Special Ops personnel who were guarding the still shattered bridge and entrance were confused at the sight of their captain and vice captain escorting a man who had become a legendary figure at the 2nd division, down into the very cells he had made his name guarding. Soifon and Yoruichi did their best to put on the charade of Urahara being sent in for 'interrogation' and indeed tried to push, shove and kick Urahara all the way down the long flight of stairs to the underground chamber. Urahara of course, was secretly enjoying being the victim of abuse, and pretended to fake pain and injury. Once they had finally escorted him into the chamber, and all the guards were dismissed, Soifon and Yoruichi removed Urahara's hand cuffs. The three of them sat around a plain stone table, free from any surveillance.

"Alright Urahara, it's time you told us everything," Soifon said.

"As much as we feel happy that you're finally back with us, there's still a lot you have to answer for," Yoruichi added. Urahara sighed with regret. He knew that his actions would be questioned by the nakama who had trusted him.

"Alright, I'll tell the two of you what you need to know," Urahara said. "Some of the stuff should be familiar to both of you, especially to you, Yoruichi." He began retelling the same story he had told Ichigo in the cave. When he was almost finished, he produced a box from inside his cloak and showed it to them. They were aghast in shock.

"This box contains the Royal Key," he said.

"Are you serious? The Royal Key is in there?" Yoruichi asked in amazement. Urahara nodded.

"Can we open it just to check?" Soifon asked. Urahara nodded. He undid the seals surrounding the box and briefly opened the lid. In an instant a brilliant light as bright as the sun shown out of it, nearly blinding Soifon and Yoruichi. Urahara hastily closed the box again and redid the seals. Both Soifon and Yoruichi, having caught a brief glimpse of the object inside the box, were left in no doubt about the authenticity of it.

"So the rumours were true after all," Yoruichi said. "Yamamoto really did pass on the Royal Key to you." Urahara nodded.

"Did he tell you to flee to Hueco Mundo then?" Soifon asked. Urahara chuckled.

"I admit he didn't tell me to run away like a coward," he replied. "He merely told me to keep it safe and prevent Aizen from ever getting his hands on it. He also gave me orders to lead the Gotei 13 after he was gone." Soifon and Yoruichi became silent. Neither of them spoke for a whole minute. Then Yoruichi had something to say.

"Yamamoto intended to die didn't he?" she asked. Urahara nodded.

"He met me shortly after Inoue Orihime was abducted as we planned out the strategies for the Winter War. It was then that he handed me the Royal Key…"

_Urahara was in complete shock. He didn't know what to say. The tiny box in his hands was something he had never dreamed of holding._

_"Commander General, why are you giving me the Royal Key?" he asked. Yamamoto suddenly had a violent coughing fit. Urahara handing him a glass of water._

_"Thank you," Yamamoto said as he drank from the glass. "To tell you a simple truth, Urahara, my time has almost come. I have lived for countless millennia, and over the years as I watched countless others die before me, I wondered if I was actually immortal. Even so, it is a terrifying experience to foresee one's imminent demise. I'd prefer to die a glorious death rather suffer the ignominy of wasting away." He hobbled across the room on his staff, looking at the portraits on the wall._

_"I understand now. You want to chose a successor that will continue your legacy," Urahara said. "If so, why did you choose me, someone whom you banished a century ago? Shunsui and Jushiro were your greatest students. They should be your successors!" Yamamoto looked at him with a jolly but rather sad smile._

_"They too are part of the old order, like I am. Shunsui has confided me about his depression and alcoholism. He doesn't have the motivation to be a leader. Meanwhile, tuberculosis has almost claimed Jushiro's life. He has but months to live. Both have vowed to die by my side. There is one further reason why I didn't choose them, nor Retsu, who I have also placed great trust in. In truth, we have all been victims of Aizen's deceptions. Over the past two centuries, he has manipulated us from right under our eyes. You, along with Shinji and Tessai, were the only ones to see past Aizen's lies and deceptions. Because of that, I am greatly ashamed to have ordered your exile." _

_"You shouldn't be complimenting me," Urahara protested. "I've made more than my share of mistakes."_

_"True, but far less than I have. Because of my senility, I have allowed numerous crimes and tragedies to go unpunished under my watch, whilst I blindly pursued people like you, who were innocent all along. You on the other hand, have actively worked to oppose Aizen's plans. I am sure you will find a way to defeat him in the end."_

_"I can't do that alone. Aizen has me under his spell as much as he had you."_

_"I know that. But I'm also aware that you have trained someone whom Aizen has no power over: the Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo. He is our saviour. If you cannot defeat Aizen by yourself, then do everything you can to assist him, for he has the ability to overcome the rot that is at the heart of Soul Society." Yamamoto finished speaking, and Urahara was allowed to leave, with the weight of the universe upon his shoulders…_

"There you have it, that was what Yamamoto told me," Urahara finished. As he expected, Soifon and Yoruichi were lost for words. Neither them knew what to say.

* * *

Ichigo stood on the platform, his hands all sweating with anxiety. His first line in his address had not gone well with the division members. Even worse, he sensed Rukia's icy glare stabbing him in the back. _Think damn it! Try to say something formal and up lifting!_ His inner consciousness talked to him. Ichigo remembered all of the 'talks' his teachers in the high school had given him, and channelled some of that innate enthusiasm.

"Alright, as you can tell, I'm new to this job and this division," he said in a rather overconfident voice. "Likely, most of you are also new to this division, with a few of you just having graduated from the Academy. None of that matters. We shall start from a clean slate and ignore everything that's happened to this division in the past. I know that this whole place is a mess and stacks of files need to be stored away, but administrative work can be put on hold. What is most important right now is for us to become a disciplined and highly efficient fighting force, ready for battle, within a short amount of time." Ichigo stopped and listened to the murmurs that had begun to stir amongst the crowd. He then continued.

"Now, there is not enough time for me to get to know each of you personally, let alone instruct all of you in the finer Shinigami fighting techniques, so I am relying on the more experienced members here to help out the rookies. Firstly, I want a quick show of hands, how many of you are good at Zanjutsu." After a moment of hesitation, about sixty hands rose in the air.

"Okay, how many of you are good with Kidou?" Ichigo asked. More than a hundred hands shot up. "Right then, how many of you are good with both?" This time, only thirty hands shot up. Ichigo finally asked how many people were good with neither. He got around about forty hands.

"Okay, here's the deal!" Ichigo called out loudly. "I want you all to separate into groups. Thos who are good with Zanjutsu form one group: those who are good at Kidou form another. Those who are good at both, divide yourselves evenly amongst the two groups. You shall be the secondary instructors. As for the new recruits, pick which ever group you're more interested in." As soon as he finished there was chaos in the courtyards as the members of the 5th division scrambled about trying to form the groups Ichigo had ordered.

"Wow, I'm impressed," Rukia said. "I never thought you would be capable of such clear and concise orders." Ichigo didn't know whether it was an insult or a compliment.

"I kept having memories of Ms. Ochi in my mind when I was delivering my speech," he whispered to Rukia. After nearly ten minutes, there were two rough groups formed. One group, comprised mainly of Zanjutsu experts, was eighty strong whilst the other, consisting of mainly Kidou Corps members, comprised the rest. Ichigo addressed the two groups again.

"Alright, now that you've sorted into groups, I want the people who are good at Kidou but bad at Zanjutsu come with me. The other group will accompany Vice Captain Kuchiki. We'll put you all through crash course lessons on Zanjutsu and Kidou respectively. Has everyone got that?" The members of the 5th Division all nodded silently. "Alright, men, go grab your stuff and follow us!" As soon as he finished there was almost total anarchy as the Shinigami in the courtyard scrambled back to their dormitories to their weapons and gears. As Ichigo prepared to leave, he was confronted by Rukia"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Rukia asked. "Trying to put them through a crash course training program?"

"Why not? Urahara, Yoruichi and Shinji did it to me when I was training with them and it worked out fine," Ichigo shrugged.

"You're different! You possesses the ability to learn things at an astounding rate. Most of those guys don't even know how to swing a sword properly. It would take years to get them trained into a proper fighting force, not to mention-" Ichigo suddenly kissed Rukia on the lips, stopping her from saying her last sentence.

"Relax Rukia," he said. "I've learnt one thing during my time as a Shinigami: When someone has something to strive for, whether it's an ideal, a person, or a goal, they are able to achieve astonishing results. These people have been demoralised by their former captain and Vice captain for so long, that even the faintest sign of hope will inspire them. Just trust me on this." He hugged Rukia tightly and proceeded to Shunpo off. Rukia watched him leave and after some hesitation began to Shunpo towards her group.

"Baka, I wish I had your level of optimism," she said with a slight grin on her face.

* * *

Ichigo reappeared at the Fifth Division's training field some five hundred yards away. It was fairly large place, almost like a football oval in the real world. Surrounding it were lots of tall pines, conifers and sakura trees. Before he began he did a quick headcount of the number of people present and came up with roughly one hundred and twenty heads. All of them were waiting patiently for his address. He took a deep breath before he began.

"Okay, is everybody here?" Ichigo asked. "Any of you who wish to join Vice Captain Kuchiki's class, please go now." He waited a few minutes to see if anyone bothered leaving. None of them did. "Alright then, let's begin!" He motioned Minazawa, who was standing in the front row, to stand beside him.

"First thing's first. How many of you know how to use a sword, or at least have one with you?" Ichigo asked. About sixty people raised their hands. Ichigo was a bit taken aback. He didn't count on most of the Kido Corps members not knowing how to use a sword. _Sheesh, this is going to be harder than I thought_. He turned to Minazawa for a brief moment.

"Are most of the people who raised their hands from 5th division?" Ichigo asked.

"No, only ten of those people are former members. Ten of the others are academy rookies. The rest must be experienced Kido Corps members who have been trained in Zanjutsu," Minazawa explained.

"That makes it easier then." Ichigo turned towards the main group again. "Listen up, I want you all to pair up. An inexperienced sword user should partner with someone who is trained in the art of Zanjutsu. Minazawa, can you instruct a few of your squad members to run to the weapons store and get about sixty training swords?"

"Sure thing," Minazawa nodded. He and five other Shinigami ran back into the barracks. Ichigo waited for them to return and watched as everyone got into pairs. Ten minutes later, the six gophers returned, each carrying ten training swords. They threw them before Ichigo and almost collapsed from exhaustion. Ichigo thanked them for their help and ordered the people who didn't have a sword to grab one.

"Alright, now that you all have a sword each, I want you to spar with each other for about twenty minutes. The more experienced person should instruct the less experienced person in how to fight using a sword," Ichigo said. "Try to refrain from injuring your companion; merely forcing the other into a defensive position counts as victory. Don't be worried about getting hurt though; thise who are wounded can go to the 4th division to receive treatment." He gave the signal to begin and proceeded to watch the hundred and twenty members of the 5th division spar amongst themselves. Some pairs managed to get the hang of it and began fighting in a fluid fashion, in a pretend sort of way. Others however, struggled to find a rhythm and resorted to hitting each with their swords like sticks. A few pairs ended up actually wounding each other. Once the twenty minutes were up, Ichigo instructed the few people who had hurt themselves to go the 4th division barracks. As for the rest, he ordered them to watch him closely.

"Seems like most of you have got the basic gist of how to use a sword," Ichigo said. "But it takes more than that to become proficient at Zanjutsu and become a decent Shinigami. To get promoted to the officer seats, a Shinigami must know how to unlock their Shikais." One of the rookie members, by the name of Tanaka, raised his hand.

"Um. Captain, how do we unlock our Shikais?" he asked.

"I was just getting to it," Ichigo said. "Each of you now have a Zanpakto of your own. As you start fighting with your sword, your spirit energy will start to merge with it. This will gradually awaken the spirit of your Zanpakto. This grows alongside you. As you grow in strength, so does your spirit. In time your spirit will start calling out to you, whether it be through dreams or visions. I want a show of hands of how many of you have been experienced weird dreams or hallucinations." About fifty people raised their hands. When Ichigo asked how many of them had learnt their Zanpakto's names, nearly twenty people still had their hands up. He quizzed Minazawa, who said that all twenty were experienced veterans of the 5th Division and Kido Corps respectively.

"Alright, things are much easier now. For those of you who have begun experiencing these dreams, I want you to find a quiet spot out here in the field and meditate. Try and to your Zanpakto spirit to talk to you, and try talking back to it. The more you talk with your spirit, the quicker you will learn about your Zanpakto's name. Communication and teamwork is essential in mastering Shikai. Once you've found out your spirit's name, you will gain knowledge of your Zanpakto's abilities. Each Shinigami's Zanpakto is unique in appearance and ability. Let me show you my Shikai as a demonstration." Ichigo placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and pulled it out a fraction. "Shine your light, Zangetsu!" As he pulled his sword out, it glowed brilliantly and transformed into a five foot long elegant meat cleaver that Ichigo had always used to carry around his back. Nearly all of the people in front of him were impressed. Some of them, especially the rookies, gasped.

"Any questions?" Ichigo asked. One person raised his hand. Ichigo recognised him as that Tanaka fellow. He allowed him to speak.

"Um, Captain Kurosaki, we were taught about how to unlock our Shikais at the academy, but we were also taught about Bankais. Can you show us how to achieve that?' Tanaka asked. Tanaka's question elicited a series of stunned reactions from his peers.

"Ah, I believe that Bankai is far too difficult a concept for any of you to grasp in such a short time," Ichigo smiled. "But, I will give you a quick demonstration. Bankai you see, represents the complete mastery of your Zanpakto's powers. Whereas Shikai requires you to communicate and work with your Zanpakto, achieving Bankai requires you to achieve total domination over it. In order to do that, a Shinigami must be able to materialize their Zanpakto spirit outside of their bodies. This is something that can take decades to achieve. After that, you must force your Zanpakto spirit to submit to your will through any means possible. This is usually determined by the spirits themselves. Mastery of Bankai is a usually a mandatory requirement for a Shinigami to attain the rank of a captain."

"Can you show us your Bankai, Captain Kurosaki?" Tanaka asked again. Ichigo was starting to get annoyed with that rookie but he obliged.

"Okay, stand back everyone and brace yourselves. This might hurt a bit," Ichigo said. He took off his captain's cloak and handed it to Minazawa. Then he placed his hands upon Zangetsu and said "Bankai." A giant sphere of black energy surrounded him, emitting a reiatsu so strong that everyone around him, even veterans like Minazawa, was pressed against the ground. He finished transforming, showing those who could still see his trademark black sword and long flowing black jacket.

"This is my Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu," Ichigo said. He quickly returned his Zanpakto to normal in order to let the people around him breathe easy again. He noticed that the sun was beginning to set over the horizon. "Alright, let's call it a day. You can all go back to your rooms to rest." He watched as his division members left the training field, some of them utterly stunned, others discussing about the amazing spectacle they had witnessed.

* * *

At the same time as Ichigo was teaching his cohorts about Zanjutsu, Rukia was showing her students how to master Kidou in the 5th division's training dojo. She was assisted by the former 3rd Seat of the Kidou Corps, a lovely woman called Ashihaka Mariko. It had taken about twenty minutes for Rukia to sort everyone into groups based on their Kidou ability. With the help of Mariko, Rukia was to pick out forty original 5th division members, twenty novice Kidou Corps members and twenty rookies from the Academy. Of those people in particular, twenty 5th division members and half of the novices had some basic understanding of Kidou. After the groups had been sorted out, Rukia stood in front of them all.

"It's time to begin everyone," she said in her most confident voice. "For those of you who wish to learn Zanjutsu instead, please head to Captain Kurosaki's class on the training field outside. Anyone wish to go now?" She waited for a few minutes. No one bothered to go. "Okay then, I take it you're all here to learn about Kidou. Now, for those of you who have experience with it, Kidou is all about precision and accuracy. You need to have complete mastery of your own spirit energy in order to cast any Kidou spells with precision. Thus, before I start teaching any of you how to do spells I want you all to demonstrate your ability to control your spirit energy by channelling some of into a ball like this." Rukia held out her left palm and created a small sphere of yellow energy, only about ten inches wide. She motioned the entire class to copy her example.

Rukia watched as everyone in the group tried to channel their spirit energy into a ball. A fair few succeeded in creating a sphere about the same size as the one Rukia had in her hand. Others either failed to create a sphere or created ones that were far too large. One person in particular, a slightly clumsy girl with glasses, ended up creating a sphere of nearly three feet in diameter. It was so huge and unstable that everyone else got well clear of her. Rukia quickly ran in and kicked the ball out of the girl's hands. It exploded spectacularly in mid air, making everyone in the room gasp. Rukia examined the girl, who was panting heavily. She then instructed one of the experienced Kidou corps members assisting her to take her to the 4th division.

"Alright, as you can see clearly, not being able to control your spirit energy properly can have dangerous consequences," Rukia addressed the group again. "Those of you who failed to create an appropriate sized energy ball will work on controlling your spirit energy here. The rest of you can come with me to the target range. Mariko, can you get some copies of the Kidou manual?"

"Sure thing," Mariko nodded. "We brought along fifty copies of it when we moved into these barracks. I'll go get them for you." Mariko asked a few of her friends to come with him, as Rukia led about fifty people into the training range. Ten minutes later, Mariko and her friends came back with stacks of training manuals. Rukia ordered them to be distributed to each person. Once everyone received a copy of the Kidou manual, Rukia proceeded to divide them into ten groups of five and directed them to stand facing a bullseye target set up a hundred yards away on the opposite side.

"Now, I want you all to have a thorough read through the manual and memorise the chants of the following spell numbers: Hadou 4, 31 and 33 and Bakudou 1. You will practice the Hadous on the targets. Each person in the group will take turns firing a Hadou spell, proceeding from the weakest to the strongest. Afterwards, each person in the group can practice Bakudou 1 on each other." Rukia gave the signal to begin. For about two hours, each Shinigami in the group had the opportunity to practice Byakurai, Shahakko and Soukatsui on the indestructible targets, before casting Sai on each other. Some managed to hit the centre perfectly. Others veered off course. A few of the more overconfident ones tried to skip the chant stage and ended up blowing themselves up. Rukia sent them to the 4th division to get treatment. After the two hours were up, Rukia addressed the whole group back together again.

"Good job everyone. Most of you have gotten the hang of casting basic Kidou spells. Those of you who still haven't mastered your spirit energy, keep on practicing. You may return to your rooms to rest now," she said.

"Uh, Vice Captain Kuchiki, can you demonstrate some of your own Kidou for us?" one of the men asked. "We've heard that experienced Kidou users can cast high level spells without chants. Can you do that?" Rukia was pleasantly amused.

"Sure thing," she said. "I'll demonstrate a high level unspoken Kidou spell for you. It'll have to be a Bakudou as a high level Hadou spell could destroy this building." She pointed her left hand at one of the walls and shouted, "Bakudou 81, Danku!" A giant barrier with an eight-pointed star embossed on it, appeared in the middle of the air. Nearly everyone in the room gasped in surprise and astonishment.

"This Bakudou can block all other Kidou spells below 90. As Hadou in the 90s are extremely difficult to cast, there's few situations where you won't be able to stop an enemy with this spell," Rukia explained. She released the Danku and allowed the group to exit the hall. Rukia followed them herself and went back to the captain's office. Along the way she saw people from Ichigo's class walk by, talking out loud about seeing a captain's Bankai first hand. Rukia somehow felt a stab of jealousy. Clearly Ichigo had done more to inspire the division than she ever could. As she walked into the office, she saw Ichigo sitting at the desk writing up papers.

"Rukia, how was it?" Ichigo asked as he got up and walked over to her.

"It was fine. Most of the group got along very well. Only a few people were sent to the 4th division," Rukia replied.

"That's good to hear," Ichigo said. He noticed that the expression on Rukia's face didn't match up with the tone of her voice. "Rukia…is there something wrong?" Rukia looked up at his eyes.

"I know it sounds selfish of me, but can you teach me Bankai, Ichigo?"

* * *

This is the first chapter in the mini-arc covering the preparations for the War against Aizen. Next chapter, Ichigo will teach Rukia how to obtain Bankai, and a big surprise will be revealed!

Notes: Some of the readers might think I've made a lot of characters completely OOC, but I'm trying to develop them in a natural and realistic way, going beyond the characterisation that Kubo set out. For Byakuya, I wanted to get him out the cold, stoic aloofness and make him more emotional, and also show that he's moved on from the death of Hisana. For Nanao, her small scene with Kyoraku in the Turn Back the Pendulum flashback arc made me think that their relationship is that of a father and daughter. Yamamoto's flashback will probably be the most contraversial aspect, as I've deliberately emphasised his failings. But that is in no way degrading his character. Him acknowledging his mistakes and swearing to sacrifice himself is a change from him being a just a strict old man.

The 5th division: The second half of the chapter was an opportunity to showcase the organisation and framework of a division as it's being built. It was also an opportunity to further develop Ichigo and Rukia as characters. I wanted to show them finding their feet as leaders, and to show the growth in both of them as leaders, demonstrating how Ichigo gradually stamps his mark on his division and trains his men.

I want to thank all of you who've sent in reviews. You've kept along with my story so far.


	26. Chapter 26: Two Hearts as One

* * *

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Ichigo and his nakama succeeded in finding and bringing back the missing Urahara Kisuke, and have now returned to Soul Society. The preparations have begun for the upcoming war against Aizen, and each division has begun intensive training. As Urahara reveals Yamamoto's last words to Soifon and Yoruichi, Ichigo and Rukia are introduced to their full strength division for the first time. Demonstrating unprecedented leadership skills, Ichigo separates his men into groups and, working alongside Rukia, starts training them in the basics of Shinigami combat. After the first day of training, Rukia approaches Ichigo and asks him to help her achieve Bankai...

* * *

Chapter 26: Two Hearts as One

"You want me to teach you Bankai?" Ichigo asked, in a state of astonishment. Rukia nodded numbly. "Gosh, this is quite sudden. I'm not sure if you're ready to achieve Bankai though. When I trained for Bankai I was already capable of materializing Zangetsu on a subconscious level. Don't tell me you've achieved it already?" Rukia was silent for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to respond.

"When I fought the hollow that killed Ashido in the Menos Forest, I was almost defeated by him, but then I saw the image of my Zanpakto, Sode no Shirayuki, appear before me. She dragged me into my inner world and had me do something I don't remember clearly. The next thing I knew I was up on my feet and my reiatsu skyrocketed," Rukia said. Ichigo was stunned at her explanation. It reminded him of the time during his battle with Kenpachi, when Zangetsu appeared before him and sent him to his inner world in order to reforge his sword.

"I see, what you've experienced definitely counts as an unconscious materialization of your Zanpakto spirit," Ichigo thought for a moment. "But, to consciously summon your spirit would take many more years of training. I remember Renji telling me he had started training to summon his Zanpakto the moment he was transferred to the 11th division"

"That was more than thirty years ago!" Rukia exclaimed. "We don't have that long. Please, I want to learn Bankai in a short time." Ichigo had never seen Rukia in this sort of mood before. It was as if she was counting on him as her mentor.

"Alright, I know a way to achieve Bankai quickly, but I have to ask Yoruichi for it," Ichigo said. "Meet me at the base of Sokyoku hill in three days' time." Rukia nodded. They decided to go to sleep and forget about the Bankai training.

* * *

Three days later, early in the morning. Ichigo arrived at the gates of the 2nd Division barracks. The Special ops guarding the gate, seeing he was a captain, allowed him inside. Once through the gates Ichigo went straight to the division office, where Soifon, Yoruichi and Urahara were still having breakfast.

"Ichigo, what brings you here?" Yoruichi asked. She froze for a brief moment. "Sorry, I keep forgetting that I should call you captain."

"It doesn't matter Yoruichi-san," Ichigo said. "I need to ask you something."

"Go on, tell me what it is you want from me?"

"Do you know where the Bankai training doll is?" Yoruichi and Urahara were both stunned at Ichigo's request.

"The Bankai training doll, why do you require that device again?" Yoruichi asked. "You know how to materialize your Zanpakto by yourself right?" Ichigo nodded.

"It's not for me. I need it for someone else," he said.

"Ah, you must be training Kuchiki-san!" Urahara laughed. "Well, I happen to have a spare copy with me." He grabbed a scroll from his cloak and placed it on the desk. With a few hand seals he summoned a man-sized wooden doll which fell to the ground. Ichigo grabbed the surprisingly heavy device with both hands and placed it onto his back.

"Thanks Urahara-san, I'll return this to you when I'm done with it," Ichigo said.

"Captain Kurosaki, do you need assistance with carrying it?" Soifon asked.

"No thanks!" Ichigo waved as he stepped outside the office. In a single step he Shunpo-ed right across to the base of the Sokyoku hill, where Rukia was waiting. They had managed to train every member in the division up to a reasonable standard and Ichigo allowed his men three days to train by themselves, leaving he and Rukia enough time to train together.

* * *

"Is this the thing you were talking about?" Rukia asked.

"Yeah. Yoruichi used this to help me obtain my Bankai," Ichigo replied. "Come with me. We can talk better inside." Rukia wondered what Ichigo meant by 'inside' as she followed him up the hill. Ichigo stopped beside a cliff halfway up along the hill. He pressed his hand against a seemingly solid section of the cliff. To Rukia's astonishment Ichigo's went through the cliff. He then proceeded to walk right through the wall. A second later his face appeared outside the cliff.

"Come inside Rukia," he said. "Don't be scared, it's just an invisible wall."

"Okay," Rukia said. She hesitantly placed her hand through the cliff. When she was convinced at last that it was safe she walked through. She found herself inside a spacious underground storeroom, with an assortment of tools lying around. Spare swords, bandages, even Gikongan were stacked against shelves.

"Gosh, I never knew a place like this existed," Rukia said.

"You'll be more surprised by what I'm going to show you next," Ichigo said. He motioned Rukia to follow him. After opening a trapdoor on the floor, Ichigo suddenly jumped down. Rukia hesitantly peered over the hole. She almost shrieked when she saw how far down Ichigo had dropped.

"Come on Rukia. You shouldn't be afraid of a fall like this!" Ichigo called out. "You can use the ladder if you're scared!"

"Um, okay," Rukia nodded. She resorted to climbing the step ladder, one step at a time. The going was laboriously slow and at times Rukia felt the ladder shake around. After ten minutes she finally landed on the ground below. When she looked around, she realized they were in a giant underground cavern almost as large as the entire Sokyoku hill. Boulders, rocks and pebbles were strewn about and a few dead trees stuck out of the ground.

"This place looks familiar. It's almost like the old study room under the Urahara Shoten," Rukia said.

"I'm glad you noticed. This was the original training room built by Urahara when he and Yoruichi-san were still young," Ichigo explained. "They played here as kids and when they joined the Gotei 13 they used this place as a training ground." He finally placed the man-sized training doll on the ground, and took a minute to stretch his extremely sore back.

"So, what am I meant to do with this training doll?" Rukia asked as she watched Ichigo lift the doll up and placed it upright.

"It's simple. Just insert your Zanpakto between the slot in the middle of the doll and the doll will forcibly materialize your Zanpakto," Ichigo explained. "Then you must train with your Zanpakto and force it into submission using any means possible. There's one other thing I must tell you: the doll has a limit of three days. I don't know what happens if you keep using it after that. Urahara achieved his Bankai just within the three day time limit, whilst I managed to do it in two days. It's a big risk to take. You might up draining all of your spirit energy. Are you ready for it?" Rukia nodded. She unsheathed her sword and jabbed it straight through the doll. In an instant the doll disappeared and was replaced by the shimmering figure of Sode no Shirayuki. Ichigo gasped in astonishment. He had never seen a woman so beautiful before. It was almost like seeing a goddess in the flesh.

"My gosh, so that's what your spirit looks like," he said. "No wonder your Zanpakto is considered to be the most beautiful in Soul Society." Shirayuki giggled upon Ichigo's comment.

"Thank you for the compliment," she said. Ichigo blushed in embarrassment.

"Um, do you know what to do?" he asked. Shirayuki nodded.

"I will set everything up for Rukia and me to begin."

"That's fine. I'll move a fair distance away and train on my own."

"What? You're leaving me here?" Rukia suddenly panicked. "How am I meant to beat my Zanpakto into submission?" Ichigo looked at her again.

"That's something you'll have to figure out yourself. The only person who can show you the way is your Zanpakto," Ichigo said. "This is a personal test of your own resolve. Nobody can help you out with it." He unsheathed his sword and walked away. "I'm going to train with Zangetsu by myself." With that he Shunpo-ed away. Rukia now stared nervously at Shirayuki, who smiled peacefully at her.

"Shall we begin Rukia?" she asked. "Like your nakama said, this is a personal test of the strength of your soul. You must find it within yourself to overcome the shackles that are holding you down and uncover your true inner power. I've only assisted you when the time was necessarily. Now you must learn to control me forcibly and extract everything from me." Shirayuki placed her right hand against the ground and turned mile-wide patch of dirt into a field of snow and ice. Rukia gasped in astonishment, but she was further surprise when thousands of ice pillars rose from the ground and solidified into actual clones of Shirayuki herself. Rukia was taken aback; her body was quivering all over.

"All of these copies are fragments of your soul. In order to force me into submission, you must find the one true copy of me and cut me down, before we end up killing you," Shirayuki said in a merciless voice. "Get ready, here we come!" Rukia was suddenly given back her sword, whilst each of the Shirayukis now held swords of their own. As a group they swooped down and surrounded Rukia, who was sweating nervously. The greatest test of her life was about to begin.

* * *

Ichigo sensed a giant spike in spirit pressure nearby. Clearly Rukia and her Zanpakto had begun their battle. He could see a string of ice and snow rise up to the roof of the cave. He was far enough away to not be safe from whatever happened there. With his sword already unsheathed, he went straight to Shikai without the chant, and then summoned Zangetsu to appear before him.

"Have you called me, Ichigo?" Zangetsu asked. He was standing upon a rock pinnacle.

"Yes, Zangetsu. I need to become stronger," Ichigo said. "I've seen the power of my ultimate nemesis, and I know at my current strength I'd stand no chance against him. Could you teach me a way to fight without using my eyes?" Zangetsu was intrigued by this.

"It appears I have just the technique to teach you. An ability that allows to fight without relying on sight," Zangetsu said. "To master it of course, you'll have to learn how to fight blindfolded first." He summoned a white bandage out of thin air and gave it to Ichigo. Ichigo wrapped it around his eyes and then grasped his sword with both hands. Already, his sense of balance and awareness of changed.

"Are you ready Ichigo? You must try to block all of my attacks and land hits upon me. Remember, use your other senses. Try to hear my movements and sense the direction of my reiatsu," Zangetsu said. Ichigo nodded. Though he couldn't see him, he felt Zangetsu's reiatsu come rapidly towards. A sudden movement in the air in front of him told him a sword strike was coming at his head. Ichigo raised his sword just in time to block it.

"Excellent. Now try blocking this attack!" Zangetsu shouted. Ichigo felt him disappear, and sensed a spiritual pressure behind him. He quickly swivelled around and blocked Zangetsu's blade again.

"Good you're getting the hang of it. Now try to fight in high speed without using your eyes," Zangetsu said. Both Ichigo and Zangetsu switched their swords into Bankai mode.

* * *

Rukia scarpered across the slippery surface of the ice, with more than a dozen Shirayuki clones chasing after her. She had already switched her sword to Shikai mode and repeatedly fired Byakurai and Soukatsui spells at them, to little effect.

"Don't bother using Kidou Rukia," A Shirayuki said she appeared in front of her. "Only the power of your own Zanpakto moves can damage us." With that three Shirayuki clones fired nearly instantaneous Hakuren blasts from their swords. Rukia barely managed to jump into the air and avoid the attacks. She countered with her own sword, shouting out "Final Dance, Shirafune!" before swinging her extended blade through multiple Shirayukis. Each one was snap frozen and shattered by Rukia's sword. To her surprise, the clones simply melted into snow and ice.

"Good job Rukia. But you must do better!" A dozen more Shirayukis shouted in unison behind her. Before Rukia could react, she was slashed in the back. She cart-wheeled onto the ground and swung her sword in a semi-circular arc, shouting "First Dance, Tsukishiro!" A white circle appeared on the ice. Rukia directed it around. As each Shirayuki touched the ice they were snap frozen and shattered into pieces. Rukia maintained the Tsukishiro for nearly two whole minutes and froze hundreds of Shirayuki clones. Yet there still seemed like there were thousands more remaining, and Rukia was already panting heavily. _Damn, how am I supposed to win this?_

* * *

Ichigo and Zangetsu flew across the underground training chamber at rapid speed, repeatedly clashing swords. Despite bleeding from two severe cuts to his shoulder and waist, Ichigo had gotten the hang of using his other senses to fight. He could hear Zangetsu's movements and detect the vibrations in the air as he moved around.

"You're doing well Ichigo. You're using your ears and sensing the disturbance in the spirit particles around you," Zangetsu said. "Now you're ready for the next step. I want you to clear your mind of all unnecessary thoughts and emotions and feel the spiritual energy around you. Become one with it. Learn to manipulate it at will. The spiritual pressure you give up is merely a manifestation of your power over your surroundings."

"I know about that, but what good will that do me? I can already move at supersonic speeds, and can sense attacks from anywhere," Ichigo said.

:"Here's the important part. Becoming one with the spirit energy around you will allow to see just as clearly with your mind as with your eyes. In fact, your vision will be even greater, because you will be able to see through illusions and recognise the true shape of other spiritual beings."

"So, I'll be completely unaffected by Aizen's Shikai even if I see it," Ichigo grinned. "Alright then, I'm up for it!"

* * *

Rukia gasped for breath, as she struggled to get to her feet. She had been fighting for nearly ten hours, and she was bleeding from countless slashes to her body. In return she had killed hundreds of Shirayukis, but none of them looked like the real thing. There were still hundreds more clones remaining, each one carrying an exact replica of her sword.

"Damn, I'm going to die at this rate," Rukia wheezed. "How am I meant to find the true fragment of my soul?" She braced herself as the swarm of Shirayukis came flying at her again. She gripped her sword tightly with both hands. Having expended nearly all of her spirit energy, she didn't enough strength to fire another special attack. _Is Shirayuki going to kill me?_ Rukia thought. Just the first of the Shirayukis was about to impale Rukia, all of them suddenly disappeared. In their place was the white training doll, which fell to the ground. It already appeared to be worn out and broken in several places. In addition, the sword in Rukia's hand disappeared, and her real sword ended up lying on top of the doll. Before Rukia could even blink, she heard Ichigo walk by.

"Ah darn, the time limit's up," Ichigo said as he inspected the doll. "You've really put this thing through a hammering haven't you?"

"I don't get it. Why did it just fall over like that?" Rukia asked.

"Well, I forgot to mention one thing; there's an individual time limit for how long your Zanpakto can stay materialized for. Twelve hours is roughly the limit each time, and you can repeat it twice."

"So, you're implying that the limit to this doll isn't three days; it's more like thirty-six hours?" Rukia felt confused and angered.

"Yeah, sorry I lied to you," Ichigo said. "The doll takes a few hours to recharge. Besides, I can tell that you're at your absolute limit. If you had gone anything further you might have died. I'm worn out too, so let's both take a break together and have a bath."

"A bath?" Rukia wondered what Ichigo was talking about. But when he led her to a massive natural hot spring, she couldn't contain her excitement. She was about to take off her clothes and jump in and when she saw that Ichigo was also going to get into the sauna. She closed her eyes in embarrassment as Ichigo took off his captain's cloak, his Shishakusho and his inner robes and jumped into the spring.

"Come on Rukia, what are you waiting for?" Ichigo asked. Rukia hesitated. She felt embarrassed at Ichigo seeing her naked.

"Don't be shy. I'm not going to do ogle you like a pervert," Ichigo said.

"Alright, but can you close your eyes until I come in?" Rukia asked. Ichigo nodded. Rukia slowly took off her Shishakusho and inner robes until she was completely naked. Then she slowly stepped into the spring, feet first, followed by the rest of the body. The water felt incredibly warm and relaxing, and Rukia was soon resting her head against the edge of the spring.

"How is it Rukia?" Ichigo asked. He shifted his body until he was only a few inches away from her.

"It feels really good," Rukia said. She closed her eyes and imagined she was lying on a bed. The flowing bubbles gently massaged her body, and she felt all the aches and pain she received during her brutal training disappear. When she opened her eyes again she gasped she realized that all of the wounds she had suffered were gone.

"Amazing isn't it?" Ichigo asked. "This spring has remarkable healing properties. It not only heals your wounds but also restores all of you energy. I'm not sure how Urahara made it but it's certainly is a wonderful piece of architecture." Rukia was said nothing. She raised her shoulders above the water and sat at the edge of the spring. Whether it was instinct or her unconscious thought, Rukia somehow began to stare at Ichigo. She couldn't help but admire his powerful and muscular body. She had felt his well groomed chest once before, when he had rescued her from the Sokyoku execution stand. Every time she saw him up close, she always forgot that she was more than a hundred years older than him; he was the one that seemed older and more experienced. Just then, Ichigo turned his head and noticed Rukia was staring at him.

"Were you staring at me Rukia?" Ichigo asked with a grin on his face. "Admiring my toned muscles?" Rukia's face turned bright red.

"I wasn't!" Rukia stammered. Unfortunately she couldn't hide her embarrassment.  
"You're extremely beautiful Rukia," Ichigo said. "Your face, and your hair, even your breasts, are so shaped perfectly." Rukia looked down and realised her chest was bared. She quickly all but her head in the water.

"You were ogling at my breasts!" Rukia shouted. "Pervert!"

"What's wrong with me having a peak at them? We're both alone here. No one's going to look," Ichigo grinned as he moved right next to Rukia.

"Get away from me! I'm so embarrassed." Rukia tried flinging her arms at Ichigo.

"Oh come on! You're a bigger prude than I am. I wish you were more like Yoruichi-san. She'd happily flash her body around." Ichigo grabbed Rukia's arms and tried pushing them apart. He and Rukia ended up in a mini-tug of war, Ichigo trying to get on top of her whilst Rukia tried to push him away. Ichigo's strength proved too strong and he literally fell on top of Rukia.

"You brute!" Rukia shouted. She squirmed as felt Ichigo's chest rub against hers, and closed her eyes tightly. She opened them a few seconds later and saw Ichigo's face barely inches away from hers. On a whim, Ichigo felt like lowering his face closer to Rukia's, but this time instead of resisting, Rukia somehow wanted Ichigo to be closed to her. Ichigo got close enough to press his lips against Rukia's. They locked lips and kissed each other. Rukia felt an unexplainable sensation shudder through her body. She placed her arms around Ichigo's body and held him closer as they continued locking their lips in a passionate embrace. Love, pleasure, sensuality, closeness, Rukia experienced them all at the same time in a kaleidoscope of emotions. She could feel Ichigo's heart beat; it was beating in rhythm with her own. Their hearts and souls were was one, and when they finally parted lips, Rukia had never felt happier in her life.

"That was wonderful Ichigo," Rukia said. Ichigo smiled. He moved alongside her and held her hands tightly.

"Rukia, there's been one thing I've been thinking about for a long time," Ichigo spoke softly. "As I was lay in a coma after my battle with Ishida, I realized there was one thing missing in my life, and that was a moral centre. When I was young, my mother was the centre of my universe. She was my conscience, my support and the person I most admired. When she died, my balance was shattered. I lost my way and became nothing more than a wandering street punk, without a purpose in life. Then I met you. You were different from any of the friends I met before. You cared about me, gave me guidance, and inspired me to become stronger. When you were gone from me, I lost my will and almost my sanity. I couldn't explain why I felt this way until now." Ichigo looked deep into Rukia's eyes. "You're the centre my life Rukia. I don't want you to ever disappear from me. So, I ask you from the bottom of my heart, you will always with me?" Rukia didn't seem all that pleased with Ichigo. She turned her head to the side.

"Baka, you want to marry me, don't you?" she asked. "You could have said it straight away." Ichigo nodded nervously. He was worried that she was going to reject him. But then Rukia kissed him again on the lips and smiled.

"I want to marry you two Ichigo," Rukia said. "I've been having the same thoughts as you did. But, you must promise me one thing in return; will you promise that you'll outlive me and die long after I do? I don't want to see another man I love die before my eyes. I wouldn't know how to live anymore. There's so much of Kaien-dono within you, it's almost as if he's still living inside you." Ichigo felt extraordinarily happy.

"That's an easy promise to make. I have no intention of dying early. I'll be spending the rest of my life living here, and wouldn't want to spend it with anyone but you. And if I remind you of Kaien, then I'll be glad to place his heart within mine and carry on his legacy." Rukia felt extremely happy too. But she suddenly realized something.

"Ichigo, should we tell Nii-sama and your father?" she asked.

"I guess we should," Ichigo said. He pondered for a moment. "I have an idea. We'll keep on training tomorrow, and then the day after I'll speak with Byakuya whilst you ask my father. It's better if we win the trust of our families in law first." Rukia nodded and kissed Ichigo again. They got out of the spring and put on their white robes, before going to sleep.

* * *

Two days later Ichigo arrived at the gates of the Kuchiki Manor. He had left the underground chamber early in the morning whilst Rukia was still fighting with her spirit. He however had successfully completed his training.

The Kuchiki Manor was an imposing complex. Covering about nearly a tenth of the entire Seireitei, it was virtually a miniature city in itself. Although Ichigo was now equal in rank to Byakuya, he still felt like a mere commoner standing beneath this towering bastion of nobility. Four Shinigami guards, dressed with in cloaks bearing the emblem of the Kuchiki family, recognised Ichigo and hastily opened the gates. Ichigo strolled through the gates and admired the beautiful scenery. Small streams crisscrossed the outer courtyard, and every second patch of dirt had a Sakura tree growing from it. A trio of middle-aged ladies, possibly belonging to the Kuchiki clan, passed by and greeted him. Ichigo did his best to put on a courtly manner.

He arrived at the doorstep of the main house and knocked.

"Come inside," Ichigo heard Byakuya speak. Ichigo slowly opened the door and saw Byakuya, wearing his noble robes, kneeling beside a table writing calligraphy.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, what business brings you here?" Byakuya asked as he placed down his brush.

"I have a request to make, Byakuya," Ichigo kneeled down and placed his hands on the floor. "I want to ask you if I can…"

"Don't bother trying," Byakuya suddenly interrupted Ichigo's sentence and stood up. "I know what here for. You want my permission to marry Rukia don't you?" Ichigo felt a tinge of nervousness as Byakuya walked right beside him. "Please, stand up. You and I are now equals." Ichigo humbly got onto his feet and looked Byakuya in the eye.

"I've been anticipating this moment for a while now. Ever since Rukia's near death, I've been thinking what her best interests would be," Byakuya started pacing around. "The truth is, Rukia has never fitted in well with the Kuchiki family. The other members of the clan, especially the elders, regard her with as a traitor who has brought shame upon the entire family."

"Seeing what she's been through, I can see why they'd think like that," Ichigo said.

"Indeed. It was a foolish thing for me to uphold two contradictory vows. In trying to keep Rukia safe and yet be a law-abiding role model I inevitably isolated Rukia from her former friends and comrades. In the long run, that caused Rukia far more pain and suffering than she deserved to get. When I first met you, I thought you were a mere human who stole everything from Rukia. But as I watched your determination and will to save her. I realized she meant more to you than she ever did to me. I never had the courage to go against the laws of Seireitei in order to save her, but you did. And when Rukia was sent to the real world again, I saw how happy she felt. At last, she had a place where she belonged. Before I allowed her to go the Hueco Mundo, she told me how you and your father had treated her as part of the family. It was something that I never managed to do during my half-century as her brother-in-law. During the four years that we were apart, I made up my mind that if Rukia chose to leave the Clan, I would not stop her. Apart from the Kuchiki name, I have given her nothing in return. You on the other hand, gave Rukia a life, a home and a family to look forward to. What was more, I sensed the deep bond the two of you had shared with each other. So I told myself that whenever the time was ready, I would accept any decision you make."

"So, that means I'm free to marry Rukia?" Ichigo asked. Byakuya nodded. "Aren't you disappointed, or angry at all about losing her?" Byakuya gave a slight smirk.

"Why should I be disappointed? You are now the heir to the Shiba Clan, the second most powerful noble family after my own, and you are powerful Shinigami in your own right. You've given Rukia a place to live, and the position I had held her back from. I couldn't have wished a happier fate for her."

"Thank you, Byakuya," Ichigo bowed his head humbly. Byakuya then handed him a small lavishly carved wooden box.

"I'm giving you this from the bottom of my heart," Byakuya said. "Please open it." Ichigo opened the lid and gasped. Inside was a sparkling blue diamond, embedded inside a pure gold ring, embossed with the Kuchiki family emblem.

"What is this?" Ichigo asked.

"This was the room I gave Hisana on our wedding day. It was handcrafted by the most skilled jewellers in Soul Society, and is worth billions of Soul Society currency. I want you to keep it safe and when the wedding day finally comes, I want you to place this on Rukia's hand." Ichigo felt awed at the sheer beauty of it, and was amazed that such Byakuya would give him such a priceless gift,

"I'm so grateful to you, Byakuya," Ichigo said. "Words cannot express my appreciation for you."

"Of course not. You wouldn't be capable of expressing it in a decent way," Byakuya turned his back on Ichigo. "Just promise me you'll provide Rukia with the happiness and protection she deserves. If word gets in my ears that you've hurt her or made her sad, I'll personally hunt you down and slay with my own hands."

"Uh, of course," Ichigo bowed with a nervous grin. He had forgotten how strict and stoic Byakuya could be. "I'll be taking my leave now!" Ichigo was about to step out of the house when Byakuya spoke again.

"One last thing to remember: Never speak to me or anyone else about this again until the war is over." Ichigo nodded and Shunpo-ed out of the Kuchiki Manor. He placed the box with the ring firmly inside his robes.

* * *

Ichigo proposes to Rukia! How will their respective families view this decision? And what have the other captains and Ichigo's friends been up to? Find out next chapter!

Notes: This was by far the most difficult chapter to work on so far. I had to tread a very fine line in regards to character personality and content. I deliberately made Rukia's Bankai training similar to Ichigo's Bankai training, not only due to the exact same training methods they both used, but to also show the experience and knowledge that Ichigo has gained, demonstrated by the ease by which he learns his new Bankai form.

The love scene between Ichigo and Rukia was the scene I'd been waiting to do. I wanted to show the genuine affection they have for each other, but obviously I had to take care to stay within the boundaries and not show any gratuitness.

Finally, Byakuya's acceptance of Ichigo's proposal completes the character transformation that he's undergone since chapter 3. He's now a more sympathetic character who acknowledges his failings. That's not to say he's arrogance and superiority have dissappeared however.

I really appreciate all of the reviews you've sent in so far. Keep them coming!


	27. Chapter 27: Dark Side of the Universe

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Having returned to Soul Society after retrieving Urahara from Hueco, Ichigo and his friends have begun their preparations for the inevitable war with Aizen. After Ichigo and Rukia succeed in organising their hastily assembled division into a well trained and disciplined combat unit, Rukia asks Ichigo to help her achieve Bankai. Ichigo borrows the Bankai trainign doll from Urahara and leads Rukia into the secret training room beneath the Sokyoku Hill. As Rukia fights to force her Zanpakto to submit to her, Ichigo trains with Zangetsu to unlock a new Bankai move. Halfway through their training, Ichigo and Rukia take a relaxing bath in the hot springs and discover the depths of their love for each other. In the midst of a passionate embrace, Ichigo proposes to Rukia, who accepts. The two of them now have to convince their familie-in-law to accept their decision to marry...

* * *

Chapter 27: Dark Side of the Universe

Rukia woke up with a terrible headache. She noticed she was lying on the bed in the 5th division office. _How the hell did I get here?_ She asked herself. The last thing she remembered was skewering the last Shirayuki clone and blacking out. She glanced down into her robes and gasped; the numerous wounds she had suffered were all healed. _Did someone heal me and bring me here?_ The first person she had in mind was Ichigo, but as she looked around, she could see no sign of him. She quickly got up and changed into her Shishakusho. Then, after leaving the barracks to the care of Minazawa, she Shunpo-ed towards the 13th division barracks.

Coming back to her old division still brought back old wounds. So much of her life had been spent inside the hallowed corridors of the place that it still felt like a surreal experience to no longer be a member of it. The guards at the front door, who appeared to be half-drunk, allowed her through. As she walked through the corridors of the barracks, she began to notice the subtle and not so subtle changes that Isshin had made. Gone was the simple clean aesthetics that Ukitake had maintained for a long time, and now the walls were adorned with all sorts of decorations. Rukia received quite a shock when she stepped into the captain's office and saw a giant painting of Ichigo's mother, covering nearly half the back wall.

"Oh, it's you Rukia!" Isshin exclaimed as he walked in from a rear door. "Have you come to visit me?" Though he was wearing his normal captain's robes, it was draped over his shoulder like a cape, and his chest was bared. Isshin wasn't the only one who came in; both Karin and Yuzu appeared behind him and rushed to hug Rukia.

"Rukia-san, we've missed you a lot!" Yuzu cried.

"How is Onii-san? Is he doing well?" Karin asked.

"Ichigo's doing alright," Rukia nodded with a smile.

"So, has my idiot son done anything stupid?" Isshin asked as he drank from a mug full of sake.

"Not at all, Ichigo's been amazing as a captain," Rukia replied. "He's managed to get his soldiers all trained up and ready for battle."

"Has he? My word, he's done better than I have!" Isshin laughed hard. "I'm proud of him. So, if Ichigo's not in trouble, what do you want to ask me then?"

"I, um, want to ask you a favour," Rukia stuttered. Her cheeks started to blush heavily. She took a deep breath. "I've decided to marry Ichigo." Isshin, Yuzu and Karin were shocked silent for a whole minute. Then they literally exploded. Isshin flapped his arms like a chicken, Yuzu jumped on the spot, whilst Karin fainted and toppled onto her back.

"Oh Mother! Rukia-san is finally part of the family!" Isshin cried as he placed his entire body onto the giant picture of Masaki.

"Oh no, Karin's fainted!" Yuzu exclaimed. She tried spilling cold water over her eyes. Rukia was amazed by the Kurosaki family's antics. She couldn't imagine Ichigo acting this crazy, except if Kon took over his body. After several minutes, the frenzied excitement died down and Isshin and Ichigo's sisters returned to normal.

"Um, you're not worried about my marriage proposal?" Rukia asked nervously.

"Not at all." Isshin replied, revealing the serious side of his personality. "The truth is, I knew about you from the moment you met Ichigo four years ago. When you went through Ichigo's bedroom for the first time, I sensed your presence. After you lost your powers and forced was to wear a gigai, I secretly observed the times you spent with Ichigo, and began to think just how well the two of you were as a couple. Not since Masaki's death had I seen Ichigo this happy, and when you were sentenced for execution, my son's sheer drive to rescue surprised even myself. And when you were gone from his life, he became more and more depressed. It was as if he need you to keep his world stable." Rukia was amazed at the depth and clarity of Isshin's observations; she realized that the foolish bumbling father he usually appeared as was just an act.

"Are you implying that you've been waiting for me to make my proposal?" Rukia asked.

"Of course. I've spoken with your brother-in-law many times in recent weeks and we both agreed that your marriage with Ichigo is the best thing for both of our families. Byakuya can silence the critics in his own family about you not being a Kuchiki, whilst I can comfortably abdicate my role as Head of the Shiba family, a position that Kukaku thrust upon me under pain of death." Isshin and Rukia both laughed at the joke.

"I'm sure Ichigo wouldn't want to be the head of the clan either," Rukia said, feeling happy that Isshin accepted her proposal so quickly. The captain of 13th division went into the storage closet for a brief moment and came out with an exquisitely designed black scarf apparently made out of pure leather. In the middle of the scarf was the Shiba family emblem, the swirling currents.

"I want you to give Ichigo this at the altar," Isshin said. "It's the ultimate heirloom of the Shiba family. Only the family head can wear it. Kukaku pressured me to wear it again, but I refused; it didn't look good on me."

"Won't Ichigo hate wearing it as well?" Rukia asked. "He's not one to like official titles either."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll quickly get used to it. Besides, as long as he wears it, he can bully Kukaku and Ganju as much as he wants. Just made sure Ichigo doesn't find out about it until the wedding, okay?"

"Sure thing. I'll keep it safe and hidden from Ichigo," Rukia nodded. "And thankyou for everything you've done for me. You've treated me like I'm part of the family."

"Why of course Rukia-chan, you are a part of your family now," Isshin laughed.

"Of course, Rukia-san is our big sister!" Yuzu exclaimed. Rukia felt happy as she was hugged by all three Kurosaki members. She then bid them goodbye and Shunpo-ed out of the division barracks.

* * *

Ichigo returned to his office to find Rukia missing. _She must have gone to see my father!_ He thought smugly to himself. He was about to sit down and start sorting through the stack of papers sitting on his desk when someone knocked at the door.

"Come in!" Ichigo called out. It was Renji. He had a rather sombre mood on his face; Ichigo had a feeling he knew what caused it.

"I've heard about it," Renji said.

"Heard about what?" Ichigo asked.

"Your wedding." Ichigo's stomach tightened. He wondered how Renji knew.

"I was walking by the 13th division barracks with Lisa, who wanted to see Hiyori about something, when I heard loud noises coming from inside. One of the noises sounded like your father's, and he was mumbling about Rukia being part of your family."

_Oh crap_, Ichigo thought. He knew how easily his father got carried away with anything involving him and Rukia. He also knew how much Rukia meant to Renji.

"I'm sorry for deceiving you like this," Ichigo said. "Only me, Rukia, Byakuya and my family know about it. We wanted to keep this a secret until the war is over."

"I understand," Renji closed his eyes. He turned his back on Ichigo.

"Aren't you mad at me for lying to you?" Ichigo asked.

"Not at all. It was certainly a shock to overhear it from your father, but I had a feeling the two of you were going to do it one day. Ever since I abandoned Rukia after she was adopted by Captain Kuchiki, I have no right to be close to her again. Even now, I can only consider her a close friend," Renji sighed. "The days when I walked under the shadow of Captain Kuchiki are over. I have my to forge my own path now, free of any burdens and restraints." Renji turned to look at Ichigo again.

"You had better take good care of Rukia, or else I'll never forgive you!" he shouted.

"Of course I will Renji. You take care of yourself too," Ichigo said. He watched as Renji left the room.

* * *

Ikkaku, Yumichika, Hisagi and Kira, former rivals and comrades, sat on a bench beside the 11th division's main dojo. They were accompanied by 3rd division captain Rose and 9th division captain Kensei. Two more people, 7th division captain Love and his Vice captain Mashiro, also came by.

"Hi guys, what are you doing?" Love asked.

"All of us have free time on our hands, so we thought it would be good to come here and drink Sake together, and you know, share some stories," Kensei replied.

"Sounds like fun," Love grinned. "Can we join?"

"Not if Mashiro keeps on being an annoying brat."

"Hey, I'm not annoying!" Mashiro protested. "Well, most times I'm not." Love told her to shut up. Kensei and Rose handed both of them a glass of Sake as they sat down. It was a quiet day. The hard work of organising the members of each division and starting their training process was almost complete; most of them were awaiting the summons from the Commander, who was apparently still busy with the heavy administrative tasks.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" Love asked. Hisagi and Kira were silent.

"We were discussing about what happened during the war," Rose replied. "Shuhei and Izuru in particular had just started telling us their stories."

"I see. Well, by all means continue with your stories lads," Love said. Hisagi and Kira took a deep breath before they began.

"Well, me, Kira, Ikkaku and Yumichika were tasked with defending the four pillars keeping Karakura Town in Soul Society," Hisagi explained. "We easily defeated the Fraccion sent to eliminate us, but once the Espada started fighting the captains there was little we could to help. Aizen, Ichimaru and my former captain Tousen soon broke out of the fire wall and engaged the remaining captains head on. It became clear that we were losing badly. Before he fell at the hands of Aizen, Commander Yamamoto gave the executive order to permanently sever the link between the two Karakura Town. Out of desperation, Kira and I cut down our pillars, instantly transporting us to Soul Society. However, Ikkaku and Yumichika weren't so successful." Hisagi hung his head in shame.

"Instead of keeping Aizen and his companions out, we ended up giving them free passage into the real Karakura Town," Kira continued.

"Ah yes, seeing Aizen and Gin appear out of nowhere was a shock to us," Kensei said. "Rose, Love and I prepared to take them all together, but Shinji gave the express orders not to intervene. He wanted to take on Aizen himself."

"That was a foolish decision indeed," Love shook his head. "He never stood a chance against him."

"It did give us the time to evacuate most of the civilians from the town," Rose pointed out. Kensei and Love nodded.

"Wait a minute, you said only Aizen and Gin appeared. What about Tousen? What happened to him?" Mashiro asked. Kensei, Love and Rose looked at Hisagi.

"Well, you see, it turned out that the link between the real and fake Karakura towns had not been severed completely. There was a tear in the dimensions big enough for several high class souls to fit through. As Kira and I desperately tried to restore connection to the real world, Captain Tousen suddenly appeared, followed soon after by Captain Komamura. Both of them were covered head to toe in blood. Captain Tousen headed straight for Aizen, who had just killed former Captain Hirako. What happened next is something I will never forget," Hisagi said. He cast his mind back to that awful moment…

_"Tousen, come back here Tousen!" Komamura yelled with all of his remaining strength. His breathing was laggard; he had lost copious amounts of blood. "Where are you going Tousen?" He saw his former best friend, now a traitor to Soul Society, limp towards to the man he despised the most. Komamura staggered after Tousen, half-stumbling forward. "Why do you still follow Aizen? He's abandoned you!"_

_"I must obey Aizen-sama, because he represents the path of justice," Tousen moaned. His left arm had been completely shattered and he had a gaping hole in his waist. _

_"Why do you still believe in him? Everything he has told you is a lie!" Komamura shouted. "You don't know don't you, Tousen? The man who killed the girl you admired." Tousen froze in his tracks and shivered. The mere mention of his childhood friend triggered something within him. _

_"Yamamoto told me all about it, Tousen. The one who killed your friend was Aizen!" Komamura shouted. Tousen dropped to his knees in despair._

_"Is this really true, Aizen-sama? Did you really kill her?" he asked. Aizen smirked._

_"Of course I did. I tricked the woman's husband into killing her and then I killed the murderer himself," Aizen said in a smug voice. "You're far too blind, Kaname. You fail to see the truth behind the lies. That is why you were my perfect pawn. You believed everything I said about justice and righteousness, but do you know what? They are all lies. I don't care about them at all."_

_"No, this can't be, this is impossible!" Tousen sobbed in despair. "I believed in you, Aizen-sama. You told me that the path you trode was the one with the least bloodshed."_

_"That is why you a fool, Kaname. The truth is, the path you have followed has been the one with the most bloodshed. In your blind quest for justice, you have slaughtered countless innocent peoples, whilst aiding and abetting those who are evil. In doing so, you have become the very evil that you sought to destroy." Tousen staggered to his feet and grabbed his._

_"I'm going to stop you, Aizen-sama!" he shouted. "I'm going to make up for my mistakes. For the sake of justice and peace, I will bring you down!" Aizen gave a silent but definite laugh and turned his back on Tousen._

_"Kaname, Kaname, your valour never ceases to amaze me," he shook his head._

_"I know why you chose me Aizen-sama…you knew I couldn't be affected by your hypnosis!" Tousen exclaimed. "And that's why I can stop you!" He slashed at Aizen's exposed back. The sword was stopped by Aizen's left pinkie._

_"Do you really think you could stop me, Kaname?" Aizen asked. In one quick swing he slashed right through Tousen's midriff. Tousen dropped his sword and fell to the ground. "I didn't need my sword to sway you to my side. Words were enough for you to fall under my spell. Let's go Gin." He walked beside Ichimaru._

_"Yes, Captain Aizen," Ichimaru nodded. Komamura saw them Shunpo off. He kneeled beside Tousen and examined him. His soul chain and booster had been destroyed, and there was a deep cut through his throat. Komamura placed him onto his lap._

_"I'm, I'm sorry Sajin," Tousen sputtered. "I've been a complete and utter failure. Everything I've done in my life has been mistake. I wonder if you can forgive me?"_

_"Of course I can Kaname," Komamura sighed with regret. "I shouldn't blame you for what you've done. Aizen is the one who did this to you." Tousen smiled one last time, before he slumped to the side. Komamura howled in despair. His voice was heard by Hisagi and Kira, who had finally up to him._

_"Captain Komamura, what's happened?" Hisagi asked. He saw the body of Tousen and was stunned senseless._

_"No, this can't be! Captain Tousen…he's dead," Hisagi stuttered._

_"Go. Both of you," Komamura said. "Get as far away from here as you can! It's too late to stop Aizen now. We've failed utterly."_

_"What about you? We can't leave you here!" Hisagi shouted._

_"Don't worry about me. My time is almost up. I will spend my final moments beside the body of my former friend," Komamura said. "Now go!!" Hisagi and Kira nodded and Shunpo-ed away. With his remaining strength, Komamura heaved himself upright whilst carrying Tousen in his arms. He saw Aizen and Ichimaru reappear in the sky above, carrying the bodies of two other people. He watched as Aizen dropped something from his hands. It was a shiny green object, and it was falling towards the ground._

_"Aizen…" Komamura said as the object glow brightly. "AIZEN!!" The object hit the ground and detonated. The entire town of Karakura was consumed by a cataclysmic explosion._

Hisagi almost broke down in tears. Reliving the memory had been too traumatising for him. Likewise, Kira was also close to sobbing. Both Ikkaku and Yumichika consoled them. Kensei, Love, Rose and Mashiro had been deathly silent throughout the retelling.

"So that's what happened Kaname," Kensei said. "I can't say he deserved such a end. I never knew he Aizen had twisted and manipulated him this way.

"Poor Sajin, he chose to die rather than save himself," Love sighed. "He was the most loyal subordinate one could have." All of them took a brief moment to reflect on the past.

"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Hiyori suddenly asked as she walked up to them. Kensei, Love, Rose and Mashiro all looked up. They noticed that she was accompanied by Lisa and a big guy they recognised as Ichigo's friend.

"Well, well, if isn't Hiyori and Lisa," Love said. "We were just chilling out here. So, what do you girls want with us?" Hiyori pointed to Sado.

"This fellow here has a problem," she said.

"Problem?" Kensei asked. Hiyori pretended to don an invisible mask over her face. All of them got the picture; Ikkaku, Yumichika, Kira and Hisagi were confused.

"Alright then, I'll contact Hachigen," Rose said. "We'll meet up at a secure location. Got any ideas?"

"I have one," Lisa said. "It's under the Sokyoku hill."

"Let's get going," Kensei got up. "Shuhei, can you go back and take care of the paperwork?"

"Sure thing," Hisagi replied.

"You do the same Izuru," Rose said. Kira nodded. Love was about to order Mashiro to do the same, but she insisted on coming along. At once, all six Vizards Shunpo-ed off along with Sado.

"Well, we'd better get going. See you later guys," Hisagi waved. He and Kira Shunpo-ed away, leaving behind Ikkaku and Yumichika. Just then, their captain Zaraki Kenpachi appeared out of nowhere, with Yachiru on his shoulder.

"Hey you two, break time's over!" Kenpachi called out. "We've got some new recruits to break in!"

"We're coming captain!" Yumichika yelled. He and Ikkaku grabbed their swords.

"Oi, baldy! You lady's been looking for you!" Yachiru shouted.

"What?" Ikkaku asked. He turned around and saw the furious face of Mizuho, and almost had a seizure.

"There you are! I've finally found you, you good for nothing husband of mine!" Mizuho shouted.

"I suggest you'd better run away now, Ikkaku," Yumichika whispered in his ear. Ikkaku nodded, and ran off. Mizuho charged after him, shouting out "Come back here!" Kenpachi, Yachiru and Yumichika were laughing so hard they soon got stitches in their sides.

* * *

Hiyori, Lisa, Kensei, Love, Rose, Mashiro and Hachigen arrived at the Sokyoku hill, followed shortly after by Sado. Lisa showed them the secret entrance halfway up the cliff. They walked through the entrance and found themselves in an underground storage room. Lisa opened a trapdoor and jumped down. The others followed. They ended up in a vast natural cavern, as large as the entire hill itself.

"I recognise this place," Mashiro said. "Didn't Urahara bring us here after we were cut down by Aizen?"

"He did. Renji told me about this when I asked him about a secret place for training," Lisa explained. "Apparently he and Ichigo acquired Bankai here."

"It's the perfect place to conduct secret training," Love said. "Hey Hiyori, did you bring along the shitty walker?"

"It's the Super Walker!" Hiyori shouted. She and Rose struggled to carry what looked like an exercise machine down the stairs.

"Now then, shall we begin?" Kensei asked. He walked up to Sado and examined him closely. "Yasutora Sado, you have sought our help because you have trouble with your inner hollow. Am I correct?" Sado nodded. "We shall do the best we can, but the truth is, your case is a little problematic."

"You see, unlike Ichigo, who had similar problems fighting his hollow, you are still a living breathing human," Rose explained. "Our normal means of hollow suppression may not apply to you. Isn't that right, Hachi?"

"Yes," Hachigen nodded. "When you were brought in for questioning, I analysed some of your spirit matter. What I found was that half your body has basically turned into a hollow. The rate of hollowfication is continuing at a steady pace. What is more, because you are not a Shinigami, you lack an inner world where you can keep your inner world contained, which is what we need in order to suppress it."

"Do you have any alternatives?" Sado asked. The Vizards all had a deep think about the situation.

"I'd say we run him through the walker and see what happens," Lisa said. "There is a chance he can suppress his hollow the same way that Ichigo did." The others all agreed. Sado was instructed to run on the exercise machine for as long as possible. After several minutes Sado began to sweat profusely.

"What is this device? Some sort of walker?" Sado asked.

"It's my very own Super Hiyori Walker!" Hiyori exclaimed. "It has special handlebars and senses that drain your spiritual energy real quick. With this device, we can determine the limits of your endurance. Your hollow is likely going to appear if you come close to passing out, so we're waiting for that to happen." Sado didn't sound too pleased at this prospect. For nearly a whole day the Vizards watched Sado work out on the exercise machine, killing time using various means. Love and Rose took turns reading an old Shonen Jump Love had smuggled from the real world; Lisa read porn, Kensei and Hachigen played chess, and Hiyori and Mashiro listened to music.

Their antics were cut short as Sado suddenly went into a spasm. With inhuman strength he literally tore the walker in half and his body started to mutate.

"No! My Super Hiyori Walker is ruined!" Hiyori wailed.

"Oh shut up, the loss of your walker is the least of our worries," Kensei scolded her. "Get ready guys, he's coming!" All seven of them drew out their swords. Sado had transformed into his armoured form, complete with his right and left arms. To the Vizards, he looked like a nightmarish reminder of the night when all of them had become hollows themselves. After letting out a monstrous yell, he jumped with frightening speed at Kensei, who hastily pulled out his mask. Sado fired a giant energy blast point blank at Kensei, sending him crashing through dozens of rocks. Love and Rose Shunpo-ed beside Sado and grabbed his arms. Sado swung his arms together, causing Love and Rose to smash into each other. Hiyori, Lisa and Mashiro pulled out their masks and fired ceros at Sado. The blasts merely bounced off Sado's armour. Finally, Hachigen tried casting Gochu Tekkan on Sado and managed to pin him down, only for Sado to break out of the pillars a second later.

"What's with this guy?" Love asked, getting onto his feet. "Even Ichigo wasn't as strong as this!"

"We're going to have to go all out," Kensei said, climbing out of the rubble. All seven of them released their Shikais. Within minutes, Sado had been knocked out and subdued. Hachigen binded him with Kin just in case.

"Phew, that was an extremely close call," Mashiro wiped sweat off her brow."

"I never thought a human could have possessed such power, nor such an intense evil aura around him," Rose said with some concern.

"We definitely need to tread a cautious ground here," Lisa said.

"Well, we only have two choices to make," Kensei explained. "Either we force him to suppress his hollow, or we'll be forced to kill him before he gets out of control." Neither option sounded promising.

* * *

At the same time as Sado was dealing with his dealings, Ishida and his father were standing in Commander Unohana's office.

"I understand that the two of you have been of great service to Soul Society," Unohana said. "But you know what the official policy regarding Quincies has been." Ryuken and Ishida both nodded.

"Are you suggesting that we should stay out the upcoming war entirely?" Ryuken asked. Unohana shook her head.

"I haven't decided at this stage. I'll need to hold a general meeting of all Captains and Vice Captains in order to decide on the specifics. But in short, I see the two of you as valuable independent agents who can work beyond the boundaries of Soul Society."

"Like the deal you had with Ichigo before he became a captain?" Ishida asked. "That seems like a good idea. Neither of us wants to work for Soul Society for the rest of our lives, but I believe in the task that Ichigo has set himself. As long as he's leading the war, I'll fight along side him."

"Very well, then. If you trust in Captain Kurosaki that much, I shall make him the overall commander of the war," Unohana smiled. "In the meantime, you are free to stay here or return to the real world. As the last two Quincies in existence, neither of you pose a threat to Soul Society." Ishida and Ryuken both nodded. They were allowed to leave Unohana's office.

"So, my son, you've decided to help your friend Ichigo out again. What brought about the change?" Ryuken asked. "You told me you didn't want any further dealings with Soul Society." His words weighed heavily on Ishida's heart.

"I lied, father," Ishida sighed. "The truth is, I cannot simply stand aside and watch. One of my friends, Inoue Orihime, is still stuck in the King's Realm. I made a promise to Tatsuki and Ichigo to save her and bring her back. You told me that saving the living was more important than judging the dead and I fully agree with you. Orihime's the most important living person to me right now. I don't know if Ichigo still considers her as his nakama, but I certainly do." Ryuken smiled at his son's surprising show of emotion.

"Well, well, I am surprised by the strength of your conviction. I shall do my best to assist you. Let's work on getting stronger. I have a something to show you."

* * *

Notes: The central focus of this chapter is on the flashback scene with Tousen and Komamura. I know a few of the readers may have wondered why Tousen wasn't with Aizen in the King's Realm, so this scene explains the reasons behind his and Komamura's deaths. It also explains why Hisagi and Kira were separated from Ikkaku and Yumichika (for those who are up to date with the manga), and why they ended up defecting to the royal guards.

The most difficult part of the chapter to write was the scene involving Chad and the Vizards. I planned on having Chad fight his hollow in his inner world, but decided against it. The logistics of such a training scene would involve each Vizard, especially the captains, going all out and using their Bankais, and would spoil the surprise of a future upgrade for Chad. Plus, I thought it would be good to leave Chad's fate a bit ambiguous at the end of the chapter.

For the loyal readers who kept up with the story since the beginning and have sent in reviews, the best part is yet to come. The Heavenly War arc is fast approaching.

* * *


	28. Chapter 28: Council of War

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: After returning from Hueco Mundo, Ichigo, Rukia and the other captains and vice captains of the Gotei 13 commenced preparations for the invasion of the King's Realm. After Ichigo trained and organised his new division into a disicplined fighting force, he assisted Rukia to obtain her Bankai in the underground training chamber hidden inside the Sokyoku. After a passionate moment of lovemaking, Ichigo and Rukia agreed to marry. The two of them approached their prospective families in war to ask for their permission. Both Byakuya and Isshin accepted their proposals and gave them both gifts to give each other on the wedding day. In the meantime, the other members of the Gotei 13 continued their preparations. After reminiscing about the deaths of Tousen and Komamura at the hands of Aizen at the conclusion of the Winter War, the third, seventh and ninth division captains Rose, Love and Kensei, along with Hiyori, Lisa, Hachigen and Mashiro, agreed to help Sado suppress his inner hollow. At the same time, Ishida and his father were formally accepted as Soul Society's Quincy Task Force by Unohana. The day of the invasion draws near...

* * *

Chapter 28: Council of War

Hitsugaya Toushiro woke up feeling tired all over. He had been working all night as usual, sorting out a mess of papers that his lazy Vice Captain Matsumoto Rangiku naturally enough didn't bother to go through. The last few days had been especially hectic, as more than fifty new recruits, some fresh out of the Academy, others reassigned from the traitors Tengu squads, joined his division. He got out of bed and walked to his desk. There was a small memo on the table. Hitsugaya read it and knew what it was. _A general meeting? What a pain in the arse,_ he mumbled to himself. Before he got changed into his captain's robes, he decided to take a stroll out in the garden just outside his main office compound. As he walked outside, he heard a girl's voice and the sound of sword swings. When he finally got to the garden, his eyes widened. It was Hinamori. She was up and about in her Shishakusho, her usually neat and done up hair flowing gracefully down her shoulders. There an aura of vitality and liveliness in her that Hitsugaya had not seen since the day Aizen faked his death and consigned his former subordinate to a nightmare of despair and betrayal.

"Hinamori," he said as he approached within two feet of her.

"Huh?" Hinamori suddenly her around. She accidentally swung at Hitsugaya with her sword, but he easily blocked it with his hand. "Toshiro! Oh, I'm so sorry I almost hit you!" Hitsugaya smiled.

"You're looking great today, Hinamori-chan," he said. "Did you decide to do a bit of training?" Hinamori bowed her head.

"I wanted to make up for the crazy things I've done in the past, Toshiro," Hinamori said with a sad face. "Everything I had believed in for the last four years, no ever since I joined the Gotei 13, was a lie. I was a fool for believing in Captain Aizen and the lies he infected me with. I was a fool for thinking he was a pure and innocent person who genuinely cared for me. I was a complete fool for mistrusting you and the others and betraying Soul Society!" Hinamori started sobbing in Hitsugaya's arms.

"There, there Hinamori-chan," Hitsugaya hugged her tight around his body and patted the back of her head softly. "You don't have to be sorry for anything. I forgive you for everything you've done, and so does the rest of the Soul Society. It's not your fault you became like you were. That was Aizen's doing, and his alone. He singled you out because he knew you were emotionally vulnerable, and then he used his hypnosis to poison your mind, until eventually you could no longer discern truth from lies. You're not the only who's fallen victim to him. I and everyone else have as well. So you can stop blaming yourself Momo-chan." Hinamori's sobbing slowed down and eventually stopped. She looked up at Hitsugaya, who grabbed a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and gave it to her to rub her eyes.

"Thank you, Toshiro," Hinamori said. "Despite the grumpy uncaring front you put on when we were kids, you always stood by me. When I joined the academy I would always visit you and your grandma, and you would listen silently to my stories, whilst I secretly wished you could join me. Then, five years later, you joined the academy after your grandma died. I should have been overjoyed and happy for you, but my heart was already set on Captain Aizen. But now I realize that my admiration for Captain Aizen was just an illusion. You're the one I really loved, Toshiro."

"Hinamori-chan…" Hitsugaya said. Hinamori kissed him on the lips, which surprised him a bit, but he decided to kiss her back. They embraced each other for more than a minute, both of them rediscovering their childhood love for each other.

"Thank you Toshiro, I've finally found my place here, and it's by your side," Hinamori smiled. She looked every bit like the young Hinamori Hitsugaya knew.

"I'm glad you're back to your normal self again, Hinamori-chan. It's been years since you've been this happy," Hitsugaya smiled back. "If you're content to be my 3rd seat, then I'm fine with that." Hinamori nodded. Just then, Matsumoto came storming into the garden, her hair completely unkempt, and her robes down so low that they almost revealed her entire breasts.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" Matsumoto shouted. Hitsugaya was so caught off guard by her sudden voice that her tripped forward and bumped into Hinamori. They both ended up toppling to the ground."

"What is it Matsumoto?" Hitsugaya asked. He looked up and freaked out when he saw her appearance. "Gods, can you cover up? I don't want to see your chest exposed."

"Sorry," Matsumoto said in a slurred voice. She did up her robes properly. "What are you and Hinamori doing lying on the ground?"

"You made me do that!" Hitsugaya shouted as he stood up again. He helped Hinamori to her feet. "Alright, what do you want?"

"The captain's meeting is starting in twenty minutes. You'd better get changed captain," Matsumoto said in a condescending voice which made Hitsugaya furious. "It feels kind of awkward for me to wait for you. Usually it's the other way around." Hitsugaya blushed and pushed Matsumoto aside. He stormed back to his room to put on his captain's robes.

* * *

Ichigo and Rukia entered the doors of the 1st division's office and quickly got into their designated positions. The heads of seven other divisions were already present, with five more yet to arrive. Five minutes, the other captains and vice captains appeared and everyone gathered around a giant circular table. The Commander General Unohana Retsu, with Urahara Kisuke standing by her side, ordered the captains to sit down on the chairs that were lined up around the table and the vice captains to sit down on chairs right behind them.

"Has everyone got a seat?" Unohana asked. The captains and vice captains all nodded. "Good, it is time to begin this Council of War. As all of you are aware, the rebuilding of Seireitei has almost been completed, and the reconstruction work on the surrounding Rukongai districts has begun. But that is not why I called you here. I have summoned you all here to discuss our plans for our invasion of the King's realm in order to bring down Aizen for good. Thanks to information gained from interrogations of the seven imprisoned Royal Guards, and the intelligence provided by Urahara Kisuke, we now have an accurate picture of the current military strength that Aizen possesses. Captain Shiba, if you would like to begin?" Unohana motioned for Isshin to start his presentation. Isshin stood up and inserted a disc into the projector at the centre of the table. A second later a gigantic holographic image appeared, taking up nearly the whole table. It presented a full three dimensional map of an enormous complex. At the centre was a colossal palace, with a domed tower at the pinnacle. Surrounding the palace were numerous small buildings, gardens and roads, which were in turn surrounded by a wall very much like the one that encircled Seireitei.

"As you can see, this is what the centre of the King's realm looks like," Isshin explained. The Royal Palace in the image is on par in size with Seireitei. It is surrounded by a much stronger version of the Seki-seki stone that makes up our defensive wall, complete with a force field that covers the entire palace like a dome. It would be impossible for any of us to breach through the force field and survive."

"What about sending in troops using an object like Shiba Kukaku's flower crane cannon?" Ichigo asked his father. Isshin shook his head.

"Even that would just disintegrate upon impact," he said. "Assuming we somehow breach the walls, we then have to navigate a series of passages, buildings and complexes, all of them heavily defended, before we reach the main citadel. This is surrounded by a deep moat of pure spirit energy which is lethal to any souls who fall into it. The only way to get in is through a drawbridge that's guarded at all times, or through a series of tunnels beneath the citadel itself. Once inside the citadel, there are a number of courtyards, towers and buildings that surround a central throne room, where Aizen and his Queen reside."

"Thank you, Isshin," Unohana said. Isshin bowed and sat down on his chair. "As you have just seen, we will have to break through the walls surrounding the palace before we can even think about entering Aizen's citadel. Captain Kurotsuchi, I believe you have developed the means to do so?"

"Yes, Commander Unohana," Mayuri replied as he stood up. "My team of scientists are busy constructing a number of weapons designed to shatter seki-seki stone. Shiba Kukaku has been generous enough to lend her some of her reishaku cores, which we have analysed and manufactured on a large scale. We now have about a thousand specially made cannonballs that can punch through the hardest seki-seki stone. In addition, I have recovered the remains of the shattered Sokyoku blade and my top researchers are reconstructing and reengineering it into a battering ram large enough to break through the walls." The other captains and vice captains were impressed at the ingenuity of Mayuri's inventions. Ichigo himself thought they sounded like medieval siege weapons.

"Thank you, Captain Kurotsuchi," Unohana said as she motioned to Mayuri to sit down. "Now, shattering the force field and breaking through the walls is all well and good, but we also know that Aizen's forces aren't going to stand there and watch us do it. Captain Soifon, can you give us a briefing of on the total military strength we expect to face once we get there?" Soifon nodded and stood up. Her vice captain Yoruichi handed her a portfolio of documents.

"During our interrogations of the imprisoned Royal Guards, Yoruichi and I learned that Aizen had at least twenty Royal Guards at his side. Each one was a former captain of immense power, and they commanded a unit roughly comparable in strength to one of our divisions. In a rough estimate we figured there were about three thousand soldiers defending the King's Realm at the time of Aizen's ascension. Seven hundred soldiers, along with seven Royal Guards, were sent down to administer Soul Society, and two more Royal Guards led an invasion of Arrancars upon Tokyo city. That currently leaves Aizen with eleven Royal Guards and roughly two thousand three hundred soldiers protecting the palace. Three Royal Guard squadrons are stationed in the citadel itself, whilst the rest are spread out across the outer palace complex." Soifon finished her brief and sat down. As soon as she did, Renji raised his hand. Unohana motioned him to speak.

"I get the general picture of the layout of the King's palace and disposition of Aizen's forces, but the first question is, how are we going to invade the realm en masse?" Renji asked. "We're going to need to mobilize all thirteen divisions if we're to stand a chance at defeating all of the Royal Guards."

"That's an excellent question Captain Abarai," Unohana nodded. "I was planning to leave the means of deployment till later on, but I guess it's easier if all of you understand how you're meant to get into the King's Realm. Urahara, would you show us all the Royal Key?" Urahara nodded and took out a golden box and placed it at the centre of the table. He then muttered a series of incantations that undid the seals surrounding the box. Like magic the lid of the box slowly opened and everyone in the room covered their eyes as a brilliant glaring light shone out of it. A few moments later the intensity of the light dimmed and for those who were still able to see, they made out a shimmering key, three inches long. It was radiating outwards with the voices of billions of souls, greatly disturbing for every captain and vice captain to hear. Urahara hastily muttered a series of incantations again to close the box and seal it.

"I'm sorry if you guys were blinded by the light," Urahara said. "As you just witnessed, the thing inside the box is the Royal Key. It is the most highly concentrated spiritual object in existence. It acts like a conduit, or a direct link, to the Sea of Souls, which the human world, Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and the King's realm all rest on. It was created at the birth of Soul Society itself, thousands upon thousands of years ago. As such, it has access to billions of souls. Its original purpose was to act as stabilizer between dimensions, to keep the number of souls in Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and the human world in balance. However, during the greatest natural disturbance to the balance in recorded history, the Quincy Wars, the Royal Key developed a secondary purpose. It siphoned the influx of souls in the human world and created an entire new dimension, the King's realm. This new realm was set apart from the three intertwined realms of Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and the human world, and rests upon the highest spiritual plane. It became the direct counterpart to Hell, which sits on the lowest spiritual plane. In order to access the King's realm, a special portal had to be developed that allowed souls to transcend into the higher state. This could only be done with the Royal Key by tapping into the Sea of Souls."

"So, in summing up the long lecture you just gave us, by using the Royal Key to into the Sea of Souls, we can create portals large enough to send a sizeable force into the King's Realm?" Hitsugaya asked. Urahara nodded. "If so, how do we tap into the Sea of Souls then?" Urahara was about to answer, but Byakuya butted in first.

"If you would like to know, the former King's Palace complex, better known as the Central 46 chambers, contains a hidden courtyard that is restricted even for the Central 46 members. Inside this courtyard is a circular raised stone which has a key shaped indentation. This stone is the Well of Souls. The Royal Key must be inserted into the stone for it to work," Byakuya explained.

"Wouldn't that only create one portal?" Ichigo asked. "The Royal Key's power can create a portal large enough for hundreds of souls to fit through, but we need to fit thousands. And I doubt that courtyard is large enough to function as a staging area."

"Excellent observation, Captain Kurosaki," Unohana said. "No doubt all of you have realized that immense size of the logistics that are involved in a full scale mobilization of the Gotei 13 for war. Fortunately, Urahara Kisuke has studied the mechanisms of the Royal Key extensively." She gave the signal for Urahara to continue.

"Yes, Commander Unohana," Urahara said. "The Former Commander General Yamamoto handed to me a series of instructions on how to use the Royal Key along with the key itself. He made me swore an oath of secrecy but at this point it would be best if I break it and tell all of you about it. As Captain Kuchiki explained, the Well of Souls allows the Royal Key to access the Sea of Souls. In addition, there is a network of hidden powerlines that radiate out from the Well of Souls. These powerlines carry the spiritual current that overflows from the Royal Key to ten designated gateway points spread out across Seireitei. Each gateway point has a conduit that opens a portal to the King's Realm once it is linked up with the Royal Key. When opened, each portal can allow a force of over two hundred high density souls to pass through. As each of your divisions is at precisely that size, it would be a simple matter to coordinate the passage of ten full divisions through the portals simultaneously."

"Enough with the long drawn out explanations!" Kenpachi suddenly shouted. "I just want to know what happens when we get there. Who gets to fight what and whom?"

"We were just about to get into that," Unohana said in her most patient most. "Although the portals are two-way, in order to maintain contact with Soul Society, each division will have to establish a beachhead into the King's Realm before a permanent base can be set up. To do so, you will have to eliminate all enemy defences that are outside the walls. Captain Soifon, I assume that Aizen has placed a substantial number of soldiers in the area around the palace?"

"Yes, Commander Unohana. "Soifon replied. "The Royal Guards said they had left about seven hundred to eight hundred troops on patrol duty in the region surrounding the palace. If we can catch them by surprise, we can decimate Aizen's forces by a third before he can respond." Unohana and the other captains and vice captains nodded.

"Once a permanent military base is firmly established inside the King's Realm, the twelfth division will bring in the heavy artillery and begin a full scale bombardment on the Palace walls. This won't necessarily ensure that the walls are breached, but rather keep the defenders distracted enough in order to send the fully completed battering ram up to the walls and break them down," Unohana explained. "Then when the walls have been breached, six or seven divisions will rush in and neutralize as much of the enemy forces as possible. One division will be tasked with breaking into the citadel using the undergoing chambers. Three more divisions will have to find a way to get in using the drawbridge. Assuming that Aizen, his second-in-command Ichimaru Gin, and his supposed Queen, Inoue Orihime, are concealed at the heart of the citadel, one brave division will be tasked to defeat them. Kurosaki Ichigo, are you willing to take up the challenge?" Ichigo nodded firmly. He looked behind at Rukia, who winked at him.

"I am, Commander Unohana," Ichigo said. "However, I am not confident that those will be the only forces inside the citadel. One more division will have to accompany my own, and I would like the Quincy task force and Yasutora Sado under my watch," Commander Unohana approved of Ichigo using Ishida and his father, but she and the other captains and vice captains were concerned about Sado. The three Vizard captains however, gave a silent acknowledgement that Sado was okay. Unohana nodded in return.

"Alright, for now, we'll allow Yasutora to be part of your division," Unohana agreed. "But, he needs to be accompanied by people who can suppress his hollow at any time. Urahara, are you able to do so?"

"Yes, I believe I can," Urahara nodded. "Hopefully that won't be necessary."

"Then it's settled. You may all go back to your divisions and continue preparing your divisions. I will personally meet each captain in person to decide what role their division will take during the invasion," Unohana said. "Once the preparations have been complete, you will all be sent instructions to assemble at the designated gateway spots. This council of war is hereby concluded."

* * *

The captains and vice captains were dismissed from the office and went back to their own divisions and resumed their preparations for the invasion of the King's Realm. Over the next two weeks, each captain met with Unohana personally to discuss their position and mission objectives. Soul Society as a whole was busier than it had ever been before, with the largest mobilization in its history slowly underway. Amidst this excitement of activity, one group of people was being left behind: the newly dead souls from Tokyo city. Most of them were being lodged in newly renovated buildings in districts one to five of Rukongai, but the families and friends of Ichigo and Ishida were allowed to stay in the residencies of the minor nobility. Nevertheless, for these people who had been victims of the recent Arrancar invasion, life was incredibly boring.

"I'm fed up with sitting around!" Tatsuki exclaimed. She, Keigo, Mizuiro and her other former school friends sat on the benches of a courtyard outside one of the divisions they had no clue about, watching hundreds of Shinigami go by.

"Everywhere we look we see Shinigami running around doing all sorts of stuff, whilst we're told to just stay here and wait. Why are we the only ones who aren't doing something? Ichigo's busy being a Shinigami, Uryu's doing something with his father, and I don't know what's gone wrong with Chad. What the hell is going on?"

"Um, I don't know. Perhaps there's something major that they don't want us to find out?" Keigo asked. He was elbowed in the head.

"Stuff this, I'm going find out exactly what's going on!"

"Um, Tatsuki, maybe you should wait. I think there's someone coming over here," Mizuiro said. Tatsuki peered out, and saw two girls dressed in white robes walking this way. As they got closer, Tatsuki could make out who they were.

"Hey, it's Ichigo's sisters, Karin and Yuzu," Tatsuki said.

"They look quite good, plus they're not wearing real world clothes like us," Mizuiro said.

"Ooh, both of them look so cute! I want to kiss them!" Keigo exclaimed. Tatsuki kicked him in the head, sending him skidding along the ground in a comical fashion.

"Tatsuki-san!" Yuzu shouted as she ran towards her. Karin followed closely behind. "What are you doing here with your nakama?"

"What, do you think? We're just sitting around here wondering what's going on. Everyone we meet seems like they're too busy to tell us anything," Tatsuki mumbled. "Where is Ichigo anyway? He's been ignoring us since the day we got here."

"Um, Onii-san has some very important duties to take care of now. Likewise Ojii-san too," Yuzu replied.

"We got bored staying in Goat face's stuffy place, so we decided to come out here for some fresh air," Karin said.

"I see. You must be as lost as we are," Mizuiro said. Just then, Yuzu caught none noticeable figure walking by. Karin and Tatsuki did too. Despite the new white robes he was wearing, his trademark hair was unmistakable. After some prompts, Keigo and Mizuiro spotted him as well They all ran towards him like an angry mob.

"Ichigo!" Yuzu and Karin shouted, nearly jumping on top of the fifth division captain.

"What the?" Ichigo said as he was overwhelmed by his sisters. He looked up and saw Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro all standing around here. "Why are you guys here?"

"We want to know what's going on!" Tatsuki shouted in Ichigo's face as he stood up. "For more than three weeks, we've been told to stay in these archaic houses and do nothing, whilst you and your Shinigami friends are running doing stuff! Tell us Ichigo, tell us what you've been doing. Why do you always hide everything from us?" Ichigo sighed deeply. Unlike Ishida, Chad or even Orihime, none of his other friends knew much about the world of Soul Society, let alone the greater spirit realm they lived in. He knew their minds would be unable to comprehend the sheer fantasy of the matters he now found common place.

"I'm sorry Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro," Ichigo said. "I've been working non-stop these past two weeks and I'm awfully tired. I'm shouldering the responsibility of a person with hundreds of years of experience, and I've aged beyond my years. Needless to say, I, Rukia, Ishida, Chad, and all of the others are preparing to bring back Inoue from the clutches of the person who kidnapped her." Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro were stunned.

"This person you're referring to, is that the big bad guy that everybody around here is talking about?" Tatsuki asked. Ichigo nodded.

"I hate to say this, but none of you guys understand much about the problems I'm dealing with. Yuzu and Karin already know, as they've been exposed to the Shinigami far longer than you have," Ichigo said. Tatsuki suddenly slapped Ichigo in the cheek.

"You're doing the same thing again, telling us that we should stay out of the way, that we don't understand anything? Do you even care about us anymore? You've become one of those Shinigami!" Tatsuki broke down in tears. Mizuiro and Keigo comforted her. Ichigo could do little to console her. He turned to Yuzu and Karin, who sympathised with his plight.

"Yuzu, Karin, can you take my friends to Ojii-san? I've got an idea," Ichigo said. "Tell him that they should be enrolled in the Shinigami Academy as soon as possible. The two of you should enrol yourselves as well."

"Okay, Onii-san, we understand," Yuzu and Karin nodded. They escorted Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizuiro to Isshin's division. Ichigo walked silently back to his division to complete the final preparations.

* * *

The next morning, Ichigo and Rukia quickly got up and dressed into their robes. Today was D-day, the day of the invasion. Ichigo strapped on his sealed Zangetsu to his waist; Rukia did the same to her Zanpakto.

"Have you prepared everything?" Ichigo asked. Rukia nodded.

"All the last minute paperwork has been done, and every member is fully stocked with items," Rukia said. The two of them went outside to the fifth division's training field, where all two hundred division members had assembled. Standing in the front row were Minazawa, Mariko, and the former Rookie, Shinzo Tanaka. Ichigo was proud of Tanaka. Despite his initial pestering attitude, he had been diligent and hardworking, managing to unlock his Shikai and successfully cast Kidou in the 50s. That prompted Ichigo to make him the fifth seat. As Ichigo stood on a platform observing his troops, Rukia stood alongside him.

"Your father called you this morning," Rukia said.

"I know," Ichigo nodded. "It was about Yuzu, Karin, Tatsuki and the others. Goat-face sent them to the Commander who offered to enlist them in the Shinigami Academy as soon as possible."

"Is that what you did? I can't say I'm not surprised," Rukia smiled. Ichigo smiled back and looked at his division members again.

"Alright my men, the Commander General has made us the spearhead division. We have been tasked to break through enemy lines and penetrate right to the heart of the enemy. Are you all up for it?" Ichigo asked. With a resounding cheer the fifth division members are shouted enthusiastically. "Okay, follow us out! Our mobilization point is the Great Eastern Holy Wall. On my signal, we move out!" Ichigo nodded to Rukia and raised his hand. As soon as the two of them started to Shunpo out of the barracks, the other two hundred Shinigami followed. Like a giant flock of birds they jumped across the buildings of Seireitei until they reached the eastern wall, the infamous place where Aizen Sousuke had faked his death. The walls had been newly renovated after Kenpachi had demolished them during his battle with the Royal Guard Hachiman. Though barely visible against the surrounding timber, there was a definite rectangular indentation in the ground. Once Ichigo and Rukia had directed their troops into position, they waited silently for the portals to open.

* * *

Urahara Kisuke and Unohana Retsu stood in the court yard surrounding the Well of Souls, along with the two Ishidas and Sado. Urahara was mindful of what happened to Sado during his time with the Vizards, but decided against telling Unohana about it.

"Urahara, you may insert the key into the well," Unohana said. Urahara proceeded to take the golden box from his robes and muttered the incantations to unlock the seals around the box. Everyone around him covered their eyes as the Royal Key shone in all its radiance. Urahara inserted it into the key hole. A few seconds later the entire stone lit up in a shimmering white colour. Pure spirit energy dropped down from the Royal Key and started flowing into ten separate channels that spread outwards from the well. Unohana then sent out ten separate hell butterflies to each of the captains.

A few minutes later, gigantic yellow portals over thirty feet tall and wide enough to fit ten men side by side started appearing across the Seireitei. Ichigo, Rukia and their charges gazed in awe at the shimmering portal that appeared in front of them.

With the master hell butterfly, Unohana gave the final commands for the invasion to proceed.

"All captains and vice captains of the Gotei 13, listen carefully," Unohana said. "The hell butterflies you have been given will give up a distinctive buzzing sound. Once the sound goes off, you and your divisions will march straight through the portal. The process is instantaneous. As soon as you step through the portal, you will arrive at the King's Realm. Once through, you are to eliminate any enemies in the immediate vicinity. Then, with the spirit rods given to each division, you are to mark the foothold you have gained. Once the rods are in place, begin assembling a base camp within the boundaries of your footholds and await further orders from the central command." Unohana finished speaking and initiated the countdown process.

A few minutes later, Ichigo and Rukia heard the hell butterfly near them flash brightly and emit a loud beeping noise.

"That's the signal!" Ichigo shouted. He and Rukia charged through the portal, with their division members following right behind them.

* * *

The Great Heavenly War has begun! Ten full divisions of the Gotei 13 have invaded the King's Realm! What will they discover on the opposite side?

Notes: This chapter obviously concludes the preparation arc and begins the Heavenly War Arc. The central scene is obviously the council of war. I thought it would necessary to explain the general context of the war to readers, including the layout of the King's Realm, the disposition of forces and the general strategy and tactics of Soul Society before hand. That will save me from having to provide info dump during the middle of the following chapters in order to prevent readers from getting confused.

Apart from the council, the other scenes in this chapter focus on the characters that haven't been covered so far. I decided to remove Hinamori's infatuation with Aizen and centralize her character around her relationship with Hitsugaya. With Keigo, Mizuiro and Tatsuki in particular, I've made them return to the state they were at the beginning of the story, confused and disorientated, to show that they haven't adjusted well to living permanently in Soul Society. It's also a recognition that they've been neglected in the story.

Thank you to all of you who have sent in reviews so far. The next chapter begins the last and most exciting arc of the fanstory, so stay tuned!

* * *


	29. Chapter 29: In God's Realm

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: After returning to Hueco Mundo, Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida, Sado and the rest of the Gotei 13 begin their preparations for the invasion of the King's Realm. During the month long preparation, Ichigo trains his division into a highly disciplined fighting unit, helps Rukia attain her Bankai and the two of them along with their families arrange a marriage that will be held upon the conclusion of the war. Elsewhere Sado asks the Vizards to help him suppress his inner hollow, whilst Ishida and Ryuken are accepted as official agents of Soul Society. Two weeks before the invasion, Commander General Unohana gathers all the captains and vice captains for a council of war, where terrain maps, enemy forces, strategies and logistics are discussed in great detail. In front of everyone, Urahara reveals the Royal Key at last and explains the invasion plan. After arranging for Tatsukis, his sisters, Keigo, Mizuiro and the other newly dead from Tokyo City to be enlisted in the Shinigami Academy, Ichigo, Rukia, and his entire division assemble at a staging area. Urahara inserts the Royal Key into the Well of Souls and creates ten simultaneous portals across Seireitei. At Unohana's signal, Ichigo and Rukia take their division through the portal. The Great Heavenly War has begun...

* * *

Chapter 29: In God's Realm

Ichigo and Rukia gasped for breath as they reappeared on the other side of the portal. The transition had been extremely disorientating, and somehow the density of the air around them felt much greater than they had experienced in Soul Society. The two of them ran ahead for a while to allow the rest of their division members through. All two hundred of their soldiers felt the same discomforting experience.

"So this is the King's Realm," Ichigo said as he and Rukia finally caught their breaths and looked around. In some ways, it resembled a surreal version of Soul Society. The sky was an overcast grey, with not a clear drop of blue at all. The surroundings around the portal, whilst full of trees and grassland, seemed devoid of any signs of habitation, and resembled a wilderness of sorts.

"It doesn't seem very lively," Rukia muttered. "I thought this place would be more beautiful than this."

"Maybe Aizen had something to do with it," Ichigo said. They ordered their division to march forward slowly, covering as much ground as possible, looking for any potential enemies. After walking a few hundred yards, Ichigo spotted a large encampment of men up ahead. They wore armour that resembled the Akuma and Tengu soldiers who had been guarding Seireitei during the retaking. Ichigo quickly signalled his men to hide amongst the trees.

"Those must be the Royal Guard soldiers," Rukia whispered.

"Let's take them using the line and rank approach," Ichigo said. Rukia nodded. She retreated to the rear of the division and motioned to Mariko to gather up all of the Kido users together. Ichigo told Minazawa to the same. The entire division was assembled into four rows of fifty, with the front two rows consisting of swordsmen, and the rear two rows consisting of Kidou users. Ichigo observed the movement of the enemy camp, confident that none of them had noticed his troops' movements.

"Alright, on my signal, everyone marches forward," Ichigo said in a clear but not overly loud voice. "Once we get within thirty feet, the swordsmen shall drop to their knees and the archers shall fire a volley of Hadou at the enemy. Then the swordsmen will stand up and advance to kill off the stragglers." His subordinates nodded. Ichigo moved slightly out into the clearing and raised his left hand. Then in unison, the entire division marched out at a swift pace. Before the soldiers in the encampment realized they were under attack, the front two rows had crouched down, and the rear two rows of Shinigami fired a hundred Byakurai and Soukatsui spells into the large mass of Akuma and Tengu troops that were still trying to reach for their weapons. It was a complete massacre. Dozens of enemy soldiers were shot on the spot, some directly in the head. After the relentless volley of Kidou, only thirty enemy soldiers had survived. A few of them took out what looked like mobile phones, clearly phoning the Royal Palace. The rest made a blind charge towards Ichigo's lines.

"Ready your swords!" Ichigo shouted. The front two rows of Shinigami held their swords in an upright position directly in front of them. As soon as the enemy soldiers got within melee range, the swordsmen advanced forward and in one fluid motion swung their swords in a semi-circular arc outwards. The Akuma soldiers screamed in pain as they mere mercilessly cut down. As Ichigo ordered his entire division to march forward again, only a few enemy soldiers were left. Realizing they were completely outnumbered, they raised their hands in surrender. Ichigo took out a golden metallic rod from his captain robes and placed it in the middle of the small encampment. It lit up and sent a glowing current that ran all the way back to the portal.

"The area's secure. Everyone start setting up tents." Ichigo ordered. "We'll set up camp here until we receive further orders."

* * *

At the same time, the other Gotei 13 captains had made their moves through the portals. Kenpachi's division was one of the first to through, and like Ichigo's group, they were disappointed with the King's Realm.

"This place sucks," Kenpachi said. "It's like a drab version of Soul Society."

"I totally agree captain. It's not very beautiful at all," Yumichika did a flourish.

"Why don't we just find the guys we have to kill and be done with it?" Ikkaku asked. Kenpachi grinned.

"Sounds like fun," he said.

"Yay, let's do this!" Yachiru cheered. Like a giant pack of hungry wolves, the entire eleventh division charged out from the portal and spread out in search for prey. Within minutes they had found some; a force of about ninety Tengu soldiers guarding an outpost. The Royal Guard force never stood a chance. In an almost berserk rage, the entire might of Soul's Society most fierce division fell upon them, its four strongest officers leading the charge. Within minutes, all of the Tengu soldiers had been utterly slaughtered.

"Tch, what a bunch of weaklings. I thought these Royal Guard goons were meant to be strong," Kenpachi moaned. "Oh well, what the heck. Let's just plant the beacon and set up camp here." He placed his golden rod on the ground and linked it up with the portal, as his men got to work pitching tents up.

* * *

Byakuya took his time observing the surroundings of the King's Realm, as his vice captain Nanao went around making sure all of his division members had gotten through safely. Like Ichigo and Kenpachi, he was disappointed by the decor of the realm. He had imagined the King's Realm to be a place bathed in shining light and colour, completely incomprehensible to the mortal eye. Now it resembled nothing than an antique version of Soul Society. The portal had opened out in the middle of a dense woodland forest.

"Captain Kuchiki, our men are in position," Nanao said as she ran beside Byakuya. "We have spotted enemy troops in an encampment five hundred yards up ahead."

"Good work. We shall commence our attack," Byakuya said. "Assume attack formation delta." His division assembled into a wedge shaped formation, with him at the apex, Nanao and Rikichi behind him, and the rest of his men spread outwards. Byakuya gave a hand signal to move out. He sprinted forward, and his division members followed. After five hundred yards they arrived at a fairly large clearing in the forest, and Byakuya could see the large group of enemies up ahead. There were about ninety soldiers, most of them dressed in armour that resembled demons and crows. The soldiers in the encampment spotted the sixth division's approach and hastily grabbed their swords. However, they didn't have enough time to get into position. Byakuya scythed through the first few rows of soldiers, slicing their necks with precision accuracy. Nanao and Rikichi followed up by taking out the soldiers to the immediate left and right of the ones Byakuya himself had killed. Then, like an unstoppable force of medieval knights on horseback, the entire division lanced through the enemy soldiers, cutting them down before they even had a chance to flee or surrender. By the time Byakuya ordered his men to stop and turn around, only a few survivors were left. They quickly surrendered were taken prisoners.

"Start setting up your tents right here," Byakuya said. "We shall wait in this camp until we receive further orders." He took out the golden rod he had been given from inside his captain's robe and placed it on the ground. It sparkled up and sent a streaming beam of energy running back towards the portal five hundred yards back.

"Captain, six of our men have suffered injuries," Nanao reported. She pushed up the glasses on her face as she stood close to Byakuya.

"Tend to their wounds as best as you can. We have enough time to rest and recuperate," Byakuya said. Nanao blushed and nodded.

* * *

'Tell me, how did we get into this situation again?" Renji asked his vice captain Lisa. He and his division had stepped through the portal and into an open plain full of rocks-and enemies. A large group of Tengu and Akuma soldiers about a hundred yards away had spotted them as soon as they appeared and started firing mass amounts of Kidou spells at them. Renji quickly gave the signal for his men to hide behind the rocks, and for more than ten minutes, they had been withstanding the constant barrage of beams and blasts.

"We couldn't have anticipated that those goons would spot us as soon as we appeared," Lisa shrugged her shoulders.

"Tch, whatever," Renji grumbled. "We've been hiding behind these rocks for far too long. We need to come up with a good attack strategy.""

"How about we spread out into individual groups so that the enemies can't target all of us at once. Then we gang up on them two on one," Lisa suggested.

"Good idea. Let's try it," Renji nodded. He signalled to his third and fourth seats to get ready. A few seconds later the entire eight division charged out from behind the rocks. Instead of running as a group, Renji's men separated into multiple pairs, each one at least three body lengths apart from another. The enemy soldiers, upon seeing so many targets spread out across a vast area, panicked, and started shooting randomly. Byakurai, Soukatsui and Shahakko spells flew everywhere. Most of them landed harmlessly on the grasp. The rest were easily swatted aside by the eighth division members. As soon Renji got within an arm's length of the nearest enemy soldiers, he released his shikai without saying his chant, flinging Zabimaru outward in a semi-circular arc. The extraordinarily long sword-flail caught many Tengu and Akuma soldiers upon its blades, tearing them in half.

Lisa followed her captain's example and called out her Shikai, "Dominate, Sureibu Okami!" Her sword changed into a long black rope that wrapped around the necks of several enemies, instantly crushing their throats. The rest of Renji's men managed to surround their enemies and outnumber them three to one. Each small group quickly sliced up an enemy soldier and moved on to the next nearest target. Soon enough, every single Tengu and Akuma soldier in the vicinity was dead. In return, about a dozen of Renji's men had suffered minor and serious injuries. Renji pulled out the golden rod he had been given and stuck it into the ground. The rod glowed a bright yellow and sent a beam of light running back towards the portal.

"Alright, let's start setting up our tents here. We'll rest and recuperate from our injuries and wait for the Commander's orders," Renji barked. His division members nodded and got to work.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Isshin asked his vice captain Hiyori. The two of them were hiding in a somewhat dense woodland, observing a group of about ninety or so soldiers guarding an outpost. His entire division had exited the portal and found themselves in the middle of a forest. Isshin had sent Hiyori out to conduct reconnaissance work. She had returned a few minutes later saying she had found enemies nearby. Now his men were waiting for Isshin to make a decision.

"How should I know? If we charge out there blindly, we're going to suffer lots of casualties trying to overwhelm them," Hiyori shrugged her shoulders.

"I see," Isshin placed his right hand on his chin in contemplation. "Maybe we could lure them into a trap. We trick them into going after a few vulnerable targets and then when the enemy's overstretched itself, we attack both their flanks and completely encircle them."

"That's a good idea, but who are going to be our 'targets'?" Hiyori asked. Isshin looked at Kiyone and Sentaro, who were standing behind him. Both of them shivered nervously."

"Um, captain, you don't plan on us being cannon fodder do you?" Kiyone asked.

"I think he's dead serious," Sentaro whispered.

"The two of you are good at running away right?" Isshin asked with a smile. A short while later, Kiyone and Sentaro were tasked with walking up to the soldiers ahead, getting their attention and retreating as fast as possible. As they walked out in the open, Sentaro accidentally stepped on a twig.

"Ssh, quiet! We're meant to sneak up on them and then get their attention!" Kiyone hissed in Sentaro's ear.

"Hey, the captain never said anything about being quiet!" Sentaro protested. They both stopped arguing when they realized the enemy had already seen them and were now charging at them, swords drawn out. The two of them screamed as they ran all the back into the forest. After about a hundred yards in they joined up with a few division members directly under their command. As the small group of Shinigami readied to defend against the charging horde, Isshin and Hiyori jumped out from both sides of the path, along with the rest of the division. In a brief but utterly brutal fight Isshin, Hiyori and their men slaughtered the hapless enemy soldiers. When the carnage was over, not one enemy was left. Isshin then ordered his division to move forward to secure the encampment. He took out his golden rod and placed it on the ground. The rod sent out a light that linked up with the portal.

"Good job my men!" Isshin laughed. "Let's set up some tents and get some rest."

* * *

Hitsugaya slashed the chest of an enemy soldier and kicked him away. Matsumoto, who was standing beside him, did the same to another enemy soldier.

"Damn, these fools won't give up and we're in a seriously bad position!" Hitsugaya swore. His division had exited the portal and found themselves in the middle of a long and narrow mountain pass. As they tried to escape the pass, they were confronted by a large group of Akuma soldiers who decided to blindly charge at them. With the pass only wide enough to fit ten Shinigami at most, Hitsugaya's division couldn't bring its full strength to bear.

"Captain, why don't you try to attack them from behind?" Matsumoto asked.

"How would I manoeuvre around them in order to do so? This pass doesn't seem to have any hidden gaps or entrances. Besides, the portal's right at the back," Hitsugaya said. Matsumoto and Hinamori looked at him and each other and realized the predicament they were in. Despite the fact that they had killed dozens of soldiers already, they and their other members in the front row were clearly getting tired and there were still a lot more soldiers coming their way. Suddenly, Hinamori thought of an idea.

"I know! Why don't we all use our Shikais to blast at the enemy and whilst they're down we charge forward and surround them?" she asked.

"That's actually a good idea," Hitsugaya nodded. "Let's do it!" He unleashed Hyorinmaru and blasted a stream of ice at the first row of enemy soldiers, turning them frozen solid. Matsumoto released her Zanpakto and used Haineko to shatter the soldiers Hitsugaya had frozen. Finally Hinamori released Tobiume and fired multiple Kidou blasts at the soldiers right behind the ones that had been turned to ice. The concerted attack succeeded in causing panic in the enemy ranks.

"Alright, everyone charge forward and surround the remaining stragglers!" Hitsugaya shouted. He, Matsumoto and Hinamori Shunpo-ed towards the enemy soldiers that were left, followed by the rest of his division. In a few short minutes they encircled and killed every soldier that remained. Once the battle was over, Hitsugaya expected the carnage they had caused and then walked up to Matsumoto.

"How many casualties did we suffer?" he asked.

"Um, all seven of the members who were beside us in the front row have come down with serious injuries. There's a few in the second and third rows who are wounded as well," Matsumoto explained. Hitsugaya shook his head. They had taken far too much damage from this brief skirmish. He placed his golden rod on the ground and linked it with the portal two hundred yards back in the pass. Then he ordered his men to set up their tents and wait for further orders.

* * *

"Are you ready, Izuru?" Rose asked his vice captain. Kira nodded. The two of them were standing side by side as their entire division had formed into a circular shaped huddle. They had been caught off guard when a group of about ninety Tengu and Akuma soldiers had surrounded them as soon as they had exited their portal. To make matters worse, they were in a semi-enclosed area, with the cliff walls offering only one potential escape route that was now blocked. Rose had been quick to order the weaker members of his division into the centre and his top twenty seated officers to form a cordon around them, Kira and himself included. For nearly an hour they fended off multiple attacks by the Tengu and Akuma soldiers, and succeeded in cutting down a dozen or so. There were still plenty more enemy soldiers left and the outer row of Shinigami, including Rose and Kira, were getting tired and bruised.

"I'm ready captain," Kira nodded. He held out his sword and said, "Raise your head, Wabisuke." The blade of his Zanpakto became blunt and bent twice so that its head was rectangular in shape. Rose waited until nearly all of the enemy soldiers were closing in on them. Then he instructed his top seats to extend their swords outwards and start moving in a clockwise direction. Slowly the entire division began to spin like a rotating wheel. As Kira's blade came into contact with the enemy soldiers, his Zanpakto's effect caused all of their swords to become heavier. After the formation had spun around several times, Kira had struck the Tengu and Akuma soldiers enough to cause their swords to multiply in weight by so many times that they fell onto their knees.

"Alright, let's spread out and eliminate them!" Rose called out. At once his men dispersed and ran towards the nearest enemy soldier they could find. Before the soldiers could defend themselves, Rose's division members slit their throats and stabbed their hearts. Soon, all of the Tengu and Akuma soldiers were dead. Rose went around and inspected the number of casualties his division had suffered. Seven of his seated officers and a few of his regular members had been injured. He quickly placed his golden rod on the ground and connected it with the portal his division had exited from.

"We shall set up a camp here," Rose said. "Get some rest and recuperate from your injuries. We shall wait here until we receive further orders."

* * *

Kensei and Hisagi were hiding in a clump of dense bushes, observing a group of about ninety Royal Guard soldiers huddled around an encampment. The rest of his division were also hiding in the bushes surrounding the outpost. He and Hisagi had spotted the group early on and had ordered his men to blend into the trees. For nearly an hour they had waited and watched, observing the movements of the soldiers, trying to spot an obvious weakness.

"I think it's time we move in," Hisagi whispered to Kensei.

"Yes, we've been lying here for an hour now and they still haven't noticed us," Kensei said. "But first, I want you to send a hell butterfly to the other division members. Our strategy won't work unless everyone is coordinated." Hisagi nodded and quickly whispered some instructions into a hell butterfly. The butterfly flew across the gap in the woods, thankfully without the Tengu and Akuma soldiers noticing. A few minutes later the hell butterfly came back and flew beside Kensei's ear.

"Captain, we see you. As soon as you move out, we'll follow you," the butterfly whispered. Kensei stored the butterfly back and motioned to Hisagi. After counting down with his fingers, Kensei gave the signal to attack. In a flash he and his entire division jumped out of the trees and ambushed the enemy soldiers. There was barely any resistance. Within a few minutes only a few Akuma soldiers were left, and they easily surrendered. In return, the ninth division suffered a few casualties, with several Shinigami receiving some severe injuries. Kensei took a deep breath, took his golden rod out and placed it on the ground. The rod glowed brightly and ran a current back to the portal his division had exited from.

"Okay everyone set your tents up here. We're going to wait for further orders," Kensei said.

* * *

Love watched and waited in the bushes along with his men, His division had spent more than an hour setting up hidden traps along the forest path. After Mashiro spotted a large encampment of enemy soldiers in a clearing a few hundred yards up ahead, Love ordered her to lure them into the forest. He heard the scream of a distinctive voice.

"Alright, here she comes," he said. "Get ready to attack."

"Ah, I'm being chased by murderers!" Mashiro squealed. She was running at a languid pace, slow enough to allow a huge number of Akuma and Tengu troops to chase after her. She ran past an invisible trigger that raised a razor sharp string right in the middle of the path. The enemy soldiers that were chasing her failed to notice the string, which was at shoulder height. Dozens of them had their heads sliced off by the string, their bodies toppling over into a crumbled head as their heads rolled on the ground. The remaining Akuma soldiers managed to duck under the string and continued chasing after Mashiro. She silently acknowledged Love as she ran past him.

"Now!" Love shouted to the men that were beside him. A dozen Shinigami on both sides of the path shot synchronized Byakurai blasts at the heads of the enemy soldiers, killing them instantly. With only a few dozen soldiers left, Love ordered his entire division to leap out of the trees and surround them. Mashiro turned around and joined in the fun. With an overwhelming superiority in numbers, Love's men easily finished off the Akuma soldiers.

"Phew, that was pretty hard work," Mashiro wiped sweat off her brow. "How was I Love? Was I a good distraction."

"Very good. Almost too good," Love said. "For a second I thought you were actually scared of these goons." He and Mashiro inspected the casualties they had suffered. A few of their men had been cut, and some had suffered serious bruises. Love took out his golden rod and stuck it in the middle of the path.

"We'll set up camp here and wait for further orders," he said.

* * *

Urahara, Sado, Ishida and Ryuken walked through the portal. Like everyone else who had gone through before, they were taken aback at the rather bland nature of the King's Realm. All of them had assumed it would be a place so wondrous that mortal eyes would be unable to comprehend it. A short while later they were met by Tessai, who had already set up an advance camp.

"Yo, Tessai! How's it going?" Urahara asked.

"Very good. I've received messages from the other captains and they've all managed to wipe out their enemies and set up forward bases."

"Good. Now we move onto the next part. According to Isshin, the Palace walls should be half a mile ahead of the forward bases. Tell them to pack up their tents and advance another five hundred yards. That should take them out of this encircling forest and within sight of the Palace walls," Urahara said. Tessai nodded and started sending hell butterflies to the other divisions.

"Urahara-san, shall we stay with you or find Kurosaki?" Ishida asked.

"You can do what you like. It'll take some time for the catapults to come through," Urahara replied. Ishida and Sado nodded. They sensed Ichigo's spiritual pressure and ran towards it. Urahara and Ryuken watched them leave.

"Aren't you going to follow your son?" Urahara asked.

"Why should I" Ryuken replied, lighting up a cigar. "He's already a grown adult. I don't need to tag after him all the time."

"Fair enough," Urahara pulled down his hat. The two of them went to work joining the portals together.

* * *

Half a day later all ten divisions had established bases a few hundred yards outside the palace walls. As Ichigo watched the twelfth division people push through the catapults and cannon balls, he observed the layout of the palace. It looked significantly bigger than Soul Society. The walls were at least two hundred feet high, and diamond white in colour. Far in the distance he could a gigantic citadel rising thousands of feet into air like a gothic tower. Grey clouds hovered around the pinnacle, obscuring most of it from view.

"That spire over there must be Aizen's palace," Ichigo pointed.

"It certainly is. What a formidable fortress," Rukia nodded.

"We're going to need a lot of firepower to bring it down," Ishida said. He and Sado had caught up with Ichigo and Rukia, and the four of them were staying in Ichigo's command tent.

"Speaking of firepower, check out that catapult," Ichigo said. They watched as some twelfth division members pushed a monstrous siege engine towards the very front of the fifth division's camp.

"Hey Ichigo, Rukia, how's it going?" Renji asked, walking alongside his vice captain. Their camps were only a few dozen yards spaced apart; on a whole the entire Soul Society front line covered half a mile and was centralized upon the fourth division's camp which had now turned into a makeshift hospital.

"We're doing alright," Ichigo said. "Just how many of those catapults are there?"

"There's about twenty, two for each division. And those science guys are stocking them up with about fifty cannon balls each," Renji said.

"Fifty cannon balls!" Ichigo exclaimed. "Gosh that's a lot."

"Well, we're going to need all of them. I can't see how we're going to break through that wall without a darned miracle…" Ichigo, Rukia and Renji all glanced at the palace walls, wandering what was going on inside that forbidden city.

* * *

At that moment, alarm bells were ringing throughout the outer palace area. Hundreds of common soldiers, guards and the heavily armoured Bakemono brigade were rushing to the walls as word of a Soul Society invasion had spread throughout the King's Palace. Deep inside the citadel, a group of extremely powerful individual walked along an elegant hallway lined with exquisitely decorated paintings. Each one was a skilled fighter with centuries or even millennia of experience. Some of them were hardened veterans jaded by countless battles, others were members of high ranking nobility. A few of them were former captains of Soul Society who had been forcibly sent to the King's Realm. Regardless of who they were before, each of these Royal Guards was a powerful force on the battlefield, and each one was suspicious of the others.

"I heard the outlying border guards have all been massacred," a robust man in armour whispered.

"Apparently the Gotei 13 have invaded the King's realm," a scantily glad woman with pendulous breasts said.

"Are you serious? Don't they know what it means to anger the King?" a gaunt looking man with a goatee asked.

"Perhaps they don't appreciate the fact that our current king usurped the previous king," an old man with flowing white locks and a white scarf replied.

"Or the fact that our king basically destroyed an entire city and killed some of their most beloved officers," a middle aged man with a carrying a staff and a fan said.

"How dare you question our master's actions and motives? He is the great Lord of all creation and the bringer of all wisdom," a bald man with an enlarged head barked.

"Now, now, let's not argue with each other. We're the seven protectors of the king. We have to work together to accomplish our mission correctly," a slightly rotund man with a happy face grinned. The seven Royal Guards entered the throne room, where four other Royal Guards, three men and one woman, were waiting. A long rectangular table was placed at the centre of the immense chamber. The four Royal Guards who were already present greeted the seven who had come in. All of them proceeded to sit beside the table. They cast their attention to the man sitting on a magnificent throne at the very apex of the room, the Spirit King himself, Aizen Sousuke.

* * *

The King's Realm has been invaded. The Gotei 13 divisions have established a secure foothold to launch a concentrated attack on Aizen's palace. Have they brought enough firepower to bring down the walls? And what about Aizen and the Royal Guards? How will they respond to the attack? The siege of the Royal Palace begins next chapter.

Notes: I have to admit this chapter was incredibly tedious to write, as I basically repeated the same scene ten times over showing how each division wipes out the initial cannon fodder. Despite this, those scenes were absolutely neccessary for the story. Having seen how disastrously Kubo's Winter War has unfolded, I wanted to show how each division of the Gotei 13 fights when it is fully mobilized, showing both the strategic and tactical planning that is involved, and giving an insight into the fighting styles of each division. Keen readers may notice that each of the captains employ a different strategy to annihlate the group of Royal Guard soldiers they are pitted against. Some go for a pitched battle, others try to ambush, whilst a few manage to employ a blitzkrieg style attack.

One thing I forgot to explain in the early chapters that's mentioned frequently in this chapter: The Tengu and Akuma. Both terms are used to define individual soldier ranks amongst the Royal Guard Army. The Akuma are the low class privates. The Tengu function as sergeants and corporals, with a secondary role in battle that will be explained later. The Bakemono are like the lieutenants of the Royal Guard, the equivalent of the officer seats in a Gotei 13 Division. Most of the Royal Guard soldiers were either originaly Shinigami who were transferred from the Gotei 13 or Rukongai citizens forcibly drafted into service.

Also, there wasn't enough time in the previous chapter to explain what the golden rods were. They were essentially devices that mark territory, kind of like signal posts. Each of them contains highly concentrated reishi that responds to the reiatsu from the portals.

I hope everyone who reads this chapter understands the way I way planned it out. I've really enjoyed the feedback and reviews you've given me so far.


	30. Chapter 30: Guardians of Darkness

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: The Great Heavenly War has begun. Using the Royal Key to tap into the Sea of Souls, Urahara Kisuke opened ten portals to the King's Realm throughout Seireitei. Using these portals, ten divisions of the Gotei 13 crossed over to the other side. As each division crossed through the portal, they encountered opposition in the form of Akuma and Tengu soldiers of the Royal Guard force. With various military tactics and strategies, the Gotei 13 easily accounted for these enemy soldiers and established a foothold in the King's Realm by implating golden rods that linked up with the portals. With the initial incursion a success, the Gotei 13 moved its front forward and established a central base of operations in front of the walls of the Royal Palace. As Ichigo and the other captains prepared to set up the catapults to bombard the palace walls, the eleven Royal Guards have been summoned before the Spirit King, Aizen Sousuke...

* * *

Chapter 30: Guardians of Darkness

"It's good to see you all again, my loyal Royal Guards," Aizen said as he stood up from his throne and walked down the flight of stairs. Following behind him was his most trusted subordinate, the fox-faced Ichimaru Gin. As Aizen sat down on a chair at the front of the table, he observed the faces of each of his Royal Guards closely.

"Now that all of you are here, let us get down to business," Aizen said. "As you already know, Soul Society has invaded our realm with the intent of conquering us."

"Why would they do that?" a mature aged woman with flowing brown hair asked. "If they overthrow this realm it would disrupt the balance of the universe."

"Surely you know what they intend to do, Hikifune," a young, blonde haired man wearing a dashing blue coat said. "They hate Aizen-dono for what he has done to them."

"Now, now, Susanoo, don't be mean to Kirio. She knows all too well what Soul Society has done to her," Aizen smiled. Hikifune blushed humbly.

"For one thing, I want to know how they managed to get here in the first place," the long haired old man, Daikoku said.

"Who cares how they got here? All we need to know is there exact numbers and force disposition, so we can plan our defence," the heavily armoured warrior, Bishamon replied.

"If you want numbers, I can give you them," Benten, the big breasted woman who wore a skimpy set of pink armour, said. She handed each of the other Royal Guards a portfolio of documents. "These are the transmissions from the last surviving Tengu soldiers from three of our border outposts. Apparently each their stations was attacked by a full scale Gotei 13 division, all led by a captain."

"A fully mobilized Gotei 13 division consists of approximately two hundred Shinigami," Jurojin, the Royal Guard carrying a staff and a fan, said. "How many of our outposts have been attacked?"

"All nine of them. There have been no reports of survivors, so I assume that they've all been massacred," Benten replied.

"Apparently the patrol scouts have reported ten unusual portals appearing in the great encircling forest," the portly Royal Guard Hotei added. "If each of these portals had a Gotei 13 division come through, we're looking at a force of over two thousand Shinigami." All eleven of the Royal Guards were stunned in silence for a few minutes, trying to comprehend the enormity of the situation they were facing. They were facing virtually the entire armed might of Soul Society, hell bent on annihilating all of their forces.

"Um, you don't think the Gotei 13 intends on killing us all?" the gaunt looking man, Ebisu asked. "Surely they know how powerful and revered we Royal Guards are?"

"I would presume the Gotei 13 treats us all as accomplishes of Aizen-dono," a dark-haired young man with a slight resemblance to Susanoo replied. "They want to eliminate all traces of our majesty's reign."

"They must be fools then, Tsukiyomi," the Royal Guard with an enlarged head, Fukurokuju, said. "By invading our realm, they are going against the will of the Spirit King."

"I think we should just go out there and slaughter them all," a savage looking person with flaming red hair suggested.

"Let's not get hasty here, Kagutsuchi," Aizen said. "As all of you are fully aware by now, we face a serious threat from Soul Society. Having been led by misguided visionaries hoping to establish a new order of peace and justice, they wish to bring us down and destroy this realm. It is imperative that we prevent them from doing so. But we do not need to meet them out in the open field. Whilst we undoubtedly could win such a battle, achieving a pyrrhic victory would only serve to kill most of our loyal soldiers."

"What do you suggest then, Aizen-dono?" Bishamon asked. Aizen motioned to Ichimaru, who unfolded a giant parchment map of the Royal Palace. Aizen pointed to the outer walls.

"According to Benten's reports, the encircling forest has been occupied by Soul Society's forces," Aizen said. "Clearly they intend to establish a blockade around the palace and begin the bombardment of our walls. However, we do not need to worry about them getting in. Our walls are made of the strongest seki-seki stone in existence. Nothing could possibly penetrate it. As long as Soul Society is unable to breach the walls, their cause is doomed. Eventually they will give up the struggle and retreat."

"So, all we have to do is to hold out on the walls and prevent the Gotei 13 from getting its forces in?" Daikoku asked. "That sounds like an easy task."

"Indeed. Even with the full mobilization of its forces, Soul Society is still numerically inferior to us," Jurojin said. "They would need double our military strength to break through." The other Royal Guards all nodded. Defending the palace would be a breeze.

"Alright, here are the positions I am assigning you to," Aizen ordered. "Benten, Ebisu, Fukuro, and Jurojin, the four of you are tasked to stand guard on the outer walls, and respond to any siege attacks with our ballistae. Daikoku, Bishamon, the two of you will guard the outer city, including the training area, hospital and residential court. Kagutsuchi, you will patrol the grounds around the moat and prevent anyone from bringing down the bridge. Hotei, Kirio, Susanoo and Tsukiyomi, the four of you will remain in the citadel." The eleven Royal Guards all nodded, understanding the roles they had been assigned.

Just then the doors to the throne room were banged open and a Bakemono captain came running in covered with sweat and panting furiously.

"I apologize for the intrusion, King Aizen, but the Gotei 13 have begun the bombardment of the outer walls!" the Bakemono exclaimed. This news caught many of the Royal Guards by surprise. Aizen however, had anticipated it.

"There you go, my Royal Guards. Your time has come to prove yourselves," he smiled. "Proceed to your positions and hold them until I give you further orders." After he finished speaking the eleven Royal Guards got out of their chairs and started walking out of the throne room. Within minutes only Aizen and Ichimaru were in the room.

"I've been wondering about something for a while now, Aizen-sama," Ichimaru said with a sly tone and trademark fox eyes.

"What is it Gin?" Aizen asked. Although Ichimaru was his most trusted subordinate, there was almost something about him that made Aizen himself wary.

"Were you aware about that happened in Soul Society? I mean, you basically let those rebels defeat seven of our Royal Guards and retake Seireitei. And then you gave them enough time to rebuild themselves into a full strength military force. Surely you could have given the order to send your finest men down there and utterly destroy them before they grew into a credible threat. And now you're content at letting them hammer away at the walls when you could easily send a vastly superior force out to crush them. What exactly are you planning to do, Aizen-sama?" Aizen looked at Ichimaru and smiled. He got out of his chair and walked back towards the throne room.

"I'm always amazed at your ability to annoy me Gin, even though I truly admire your loyalty," Aizen said. "True, I did not expect the seven Royal Guards I sent down there to be defeated so easily, nor did I anticipate how quickly the Gotei 13 to rebuild itself. However, the danger they present to me is of no consequence. If I wanted to, I could walk out of here right now and completely crush them into dust. But seeing them struggle with all of their might to overthrow me is amusing to say the least."

"Ah, that's such a classic response from you," Ichimaru laughed. "This is beginning to look like a repeat of our Las Noches experience. So then, do you have any plans for the Substitute Shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo then?" Aizen stopped halfway up the stairs and pondered to himself.

"You mean that Ryoka boy?" Aizen asked. "Hmm, maybe. He certainly was an interesting fellow, but I presume he's nothing more than a pawn of Soul Society, used to do their dirty work. He can be easily turned to our side."

"Whatever you say, Aizen-sama," Ichimaru smiled. "What do you want me to do then?" Aizen and Ichimaru arrived at the top of the stairs. Aizen picked up the golden crown that was lying beside the throne and put it on his head before sitting on the throne itself. He looked at Ichimaru again.

"I want you to guard the rear entrance of the citadel," Aizen ordered. "However competent my Royal Guards are, they probably will not anticipate a Gotei 13 strike force getting through their defences and infiltrating the underground passages."

"Very well then, shall I take command of a Tengu force?" Ichimaru asked.

"Yes, you may relieve Susanoo of his squad. Recently he has become rather protective of my advances towards Amaterasu."

"Ah, do you think he is starting to see through your illusion?"

"I doubt it. I still have him under the palm of my hand." Ichimaru smiled again and walked down the stairs and out of the throne room. Aizen was left to sit on his throne by himself. A few minutes later however, he heard a voice from behind.

"Aizen-dono?" Orihime, the reincarnation of Amaterasu asked. She was peeking out a secret room to the side.

"Come to me, my princess," Aizen stood up and spread out his arms. Orihime ran towards him and leaned herself against his chest.

"Aizen-dono, what is happening outside?" Orihime asked. "I saw you meeting with your guardians. Is there something big happening."

"Yes, my princess. Your former friend, Kurosaki Ichigo, along with the rest of Soul Society, has invaded our realm intent on killing us." Orihime was horrified.

"Kurosaki-kun wouldn't…he's gone too far. I don't love him anymore. He's betrayed my trust. You're the only I can rely upon," Orihime said. She and Aizen hugged each tightly. As Orihime lay against his chest, Aizen was grinning evilly. The battle for her soul had already been won.

* * *

Outside the palace walls, the siege engines had already begun firing. Ichigo and Rukia watched as their men and women loaded cannon balls into the launchers of their two catapults, pressed the triggers on both machines and flung the cannon balls into the air. The cannon balls, highly concentrated reishaku cores that could draw in the spirit particles in the surrounding atmosphere, ignited into blazing fireballs that smashed against the seki-seki walls in spectacular explosions. However, when Ichigo viewed the damage from a pair of long range binoculars that the twelfth division had given him, the walls had barely been dented. In fact, there wasn't even a scratch upon them.

"I don't believe this. We've pounded that spot on the wall several times already, yet the wall's not even damaged," Ichigo threw the binoculars down in frustration.

"I wonder if the other divisions have had more luck," Rukia pondered. "We must be doing something wrong here."

"How about we aim higher and try to hit over the wall?" the third seat Minazawa asked. "We could target the force field instead."

"Good idea. The force field should be much weaker than the wall itself," Ichigo said. He ordered his men to adjust the angle and trajectory of the catapults, trying to make them throw the cannon balls at a higher range and distance. As the next set of cannon balls was fired, Ichigo watched their arc through the sky. Instead of hitting the wall without any damage, the cannon balls punched massive holes through the force field. Ichigo wondered if they caused any destruction to the buildings inside.

"Well, well, this is certainly a start," Ishida said as he stood beside Ichigo. "Trying to cause terror upon the enemy instead of wearing their walls down?" Ichigo shrugged his shoulders.

"I thought it would be a much better use of our limited supply of cannon balls," Ichigo said.

"Shouldn't we tell the other guys about this?" Sado asked. Ichigo and Rukia nodded. Luckily, the second division had deployed hundreds of secret messengers to act as a fast moving means of communication between each division camp. One such messenger arrived in front of Ichigo's camp.

"Yes, Captain Kurosaki?" the messenger asked.

"Go tell Urahara to inform the other captains to start firing their cannon balls at the force field instead of the walls," Ichigo said. "We'll inflict fare more casualties upon the enemy this way." The messenger nodded and Shunpo-ed off. Within half an hour, the order appeared to have gone around to every division, because the other catapults started firing at a much higher arc, sending cannon balls raining down behind the wall.

* * *

On the other side of the wall, the four Royal Guards that had been stationed in the immediate vicinity were caught off guard by the sudden change in their enemy's bombardment. Instead of calmly standing behind the safety of the seki-seki stone, watching as the cannon balls impacted harmlessly with the wall, they were frantically trying to dodge raining balls of fire that penetrated through the force field. Many of the balls smashed into nearby buildings and set them alight. The individual fires were slowly coalescing into one gigantic firestorm that threatened to engulf half the outer city.

"I want five teams to put out that fire!" Benten yelled, "We have to stop it from spreading any further!" She directed nearly two hundred Tengu and Akuma soldiers carrying high pressure hoses to the outskirts of the fire, in an attempt to control it.

"What are we going to do about the cannon balls?" Ebisu asked. "They're easily penetrating our force field?" He was standing beside Fukuro, the two of them commanding four hundred soldiers each. Fukuro examined the trajectory the cannon balls were landing from and calculated the distance they had been fired from.

"We shall fight fire with fire," Fukuro said. "Get the ballistae into place and target them at a fifty degree angle. If those cannon balls can break through our force field, then we can easily fire missiles out of it."

"Good idea," Jurojin said, walking beside Fukuro, twirling a fan with his left hand. "They probably won't expect us to have artillery of our own. However, as long as they are unable to break through the walls they cannot attack us directly. We should pull most our troops back so that they're out of the range of the cannon balls."

"Are you telling me that we should abandon our forward defences?" Fukuro glared at Jurojin angrily. "What if they do come up with a way to break in?"

"We can simply order our troops back," Jurojin replied. He looked at the enormous firestorm behind them. "Besides, stopping this fire from burning is our number one priority."

"Forget it. I'm staying right here. Someone has to order the ballistae to be fired. You can take Ebisu instead." Jurojin shook his head as he motioned to Ebisu. The two of them ordered their soldiers to help Benten's squad douse the fire. Fukuro on the other hand, gave the signal for the ballistae to be set alight. Thirty ballistae were light. A minute later all of them fired giant missiles into the sky. As Fukuro predicted, the missiles easily penetrated the force field.

"That should wipe those bastards out," Fukuro grinned.

* * *

"Hey, there's something coming out of the force fields!" Ichigo exclaimed, pointing his fingers at the sky. He, Rukia, Ishida, Sado and his entire division had noticed a set of bright lights coming out of the force field.

"Those look like…missiles!" Rukia exclaimed as she peered through the binoculars. She gave them to Ichigo who looked closely at the lights again.

"You're right. Those missiles are coming straight at us," he said.

"What should we do now?" Sado asked.

"We could try shoot them down, but I doubt our firepower would work on those missiles." Ishida said. Ichigo gritted his teeth. Just then a hell butterfly flew by and landed on his shoulder. He listened closely to it.

"Incoming enemy missiles have been detected. All divisions should raise their defensive barriers," the butterfly finished speaking.

"A defensive barrier? How will that work?" Ichigo asked. Rukia wasted no time in ordering the Kidou users in the divisions to raise their hands in the air.

"Everyone, repeat after me!" Rukia called out. "Great beast of the sea, holding up the sky and land. Surround us with your body, and protect us with your shell, Bakudou 85, Kame Kaigara!" In an almost simultaneous motion, Rukia and fifty other members of the division cast an intertwining network of steel plates, seemingly made out of spirit particles. Ichigo, Ishida and Sado looked around and noticed the other divisions had raised a similar network of steel plates. Eventually the entire Gotei 13 base camp was surrounded by a three foot thick layer of steel, just in time as the missiles closed in. The missiles impacted with the barrier and detonated, causing multiple explosions that caused the ground to rumble. Ichigo, Rukia, and the others covered their eyes and braced themselves for impact. However, when the smoke cleared, it was evident that the barrier had held. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness that it worked," Rukia said. "If those missiles had hit we would have been done for."

"We shouldn't lower our guard yet," Ichigo said. "There might be another salvo."

"I think we should stop firing the cannon balls," Ishida suggested. "The enemy intended to wipe us out with the missiles or at least stop us from bombarding them. Let's make them think they succeeded."

"That's a good idea. I should bring it up with the other captains," Ichigo nodded. At that moment, a second division messenger appeared in front of the division camp.

"Captain Kurosaki and vice captain Kuchiki, you are to attend an emergency meeting of all captains at once," the messenger said. Ichigo and Rukia nodded. They ordered Minazawa and Mariko to guard the camp as they walked towards the central command. Ishida and Sado decided to follow them.

* * *

Orihime returned to her living quarters, still furious at what she perceived to be a betrayal by Ichigo. Aizen had kissed her on the lips before he ordered her to go back to her room. As she closed the door behind her, she her mouth and arms were grabbed from behind. Orihime tried to squeal, but her voice was muffled.

"Shh, don't make any sudden sounds okay?" the voice from behind her asked. Orihime nodded slowly. The hands were removed from her mouth and arms and she was allowed to turn around. She was surprised at who it was.

"Susanoo, what are you doing here?" she asked. The dashing blonde haired man aroused a strange feeling inside Orihime that she couldn't quite understand.

"How are you feeling, my beloved sister?" Susanoo asked.

"Sister?" Orihime was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"You still don't know? I thought you would be back to your original self by now," Susanoo bent down and touched Orihime's cheeks. "Your face, your hair, your eyes, they remind me so much of my dearly departed sister Amaterasu. You've started calling yourself haven't you?" Orihime strangely enough nodded. She felt a strange swelling of emotion inside her, and for a brief moment, other memories surfaced in your head.

"Um, why do you want to see me?" she asked. Susanoo smiled.

"I just wanted to check up on you. I know the king is taking good care of you, but I wanted to make sure that you were okay," he said. "Take care of yourself for now." Susanoo waved Orihime goodbye and exited out from a rear door. Orihime was left pondering what had happened.

As soon as he walked outside, Susanoo was confronted by his brother, Tsukiyomi.

"How was it? Did you go and see her?" Tsukiyomi asked in a conniving voice. Susanoo stared at his brother and walked away. Tsukiyomi jumped in front of him.

"What's the matter? I'm just as concerned about our sister as you are," he said.

"Rubbish. Since when did you even look at her after our mother died?" Susanoo asked. "Anyway, if you want to know, she still hasn't become fully aware of her identity yet. The human part of her consciousness still dominates."

"Ah, that's a pity. After all these years yet she hasn't remembered anything about her past," Tsukiyomi shook his head.

"Why would she? She died and came back as a human. Whatever memories she had before have been completely erased. It's not helped by the fact that she spends so much time around the usurper." Tsukiyomi suddenly burst out laughing.

"I'm amazed you still resent Aizen-sama, even after he's done so much for us."

"Why should I like him? He imprisoned our father and coveted our sister. And now his dog Ichimaru just came by to relieve me of my troops." Susanoo said bitterly.

"So, he thinks you're too untrustworthy to command them?" Tsukiyomi asked. "That's a shame." Susanoo glared at his erstwhile brother once more before he stormed off to his quarters.

* * *

Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Sado arrived at the main command centre, which happened to the fourth division's base camp. Six of the division captains and vice captains were already present, and three more followed right after Ichigo's group. They all gathered around Urahara, who had a television screen showing the face of Commander Unohana.

"Thank you for coming at such a short notice," Unohana spoke from the television. "Now, I understand that the invasion has run into some difficulties…"

"Tch, talk about it!" Kenpachi exclaimed. "We've fired dozens of cannon balls at those god damn walls without damaging them one bit. In return our base was almost destroyed by those missiles!"

"That was because your division doesn't do Kidou," Hitsugaya smirked.

"What did you say?" Kenpachi asked angrily.

"Quiet, you two," Byakuya scolded them both. "Let's listen to what the Commander has to say." Kenpachi and Hitsugaya fell silent and looked at Unohana again.

"As I was saying, I believe we need to rethink our invasion strategy," Unohana said. "Clearly Aizen's Royal Guards have the ability to retaliate with artillery of their own, so trying to bombard them will put our troops at danger."

"What do you suggest then, Commander?" Renji asked. "We need something that can breach the front gates."

"You mean a battering ram," Ichigo suggested. "The whole layout of the King's Realm is awfully similar to a medieval castle in the real world. Back in that time, armies would siege a castle by bringing up a battering ram to breach the walls. The ram would be covered in fortified armour to protect against arrows and other projectiles, and there usually would be a large group of soldiers inside, waiting to enter as soon as the walls were breached."

"Excellent analysis Ichigo-san!" Urahara nodded. "What you suggested is precisely what I had in mind!" The other captains and vice captains were confused."

"What do you mean, Urahara?" Isshin asked. "Are you saying you've developed a battering ram?"

"Of course! Commander Unohana, can you tell Mayuri-san to start hauling the phoenix in? I believe it's been completed." Unohana nodded.

"Yes Urahara. It was completed two days ago. I shall instruct the twelfth division to push it through the main portal." The other captains wondered what he was up to as he motioned them to go outside. He led them towards the main communications portal between the King's Realm and Soul Society. This portal was far larger than the ones used for the initial incursion. It was a hundred feet high and nearly two hundred feet wide. It was larger than the official Senkaimon in Seireitei.

"Stand clear of the portal everyone," Urahara ordered. "Something big is coming through." Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Sado stood some thirty feet away from the vicinity of the portal, as did the other captains and vice captains. A few minutes later, a loud rumbling sound could be heard coming through the portal. Then something appeared. It looked like a giant beak of a bird. It was followed by an entire head of a bird and soon enough the entire body, wings, torso, legs and even tail came out of the portal. All the captains and vice captains stared at it aghast. The bird looked like a phoenix, flaming red in colour with streaks of yellow. On its head was a shimmering yellow crest of feathers. Its majestic wings, folded in as they were, were still hundreds of feet in length. Its flaming tail spread out for several dozen feet. From head to tail the bird measured several hundred feet. Furthermore, the bird appeared to be resting on some sort of carriage with monster wheels. In every aspect it was a sheer marvel of engineering. Words could not have done it justice. As soon as it came to a stop, its wings spread open, covering a distance of nearly half a mile. Now, it looked every bit like a graceful bird soaring in flight. Seeing the phoenix in all its glory, Ichigo was reminded of the firebird he had seen during Rukia's execution. Judging by the faces of Rukia, Renji and several other captains, everyone else felt the same way. Urahara was grinning happily

"Everyone, I present to you, the revived Phoenix Kikou," Urahara waved his hand at the bird. "Over the past month, I worked with Mayuri to recover the traces of the shattered Sokyoku Blade and rebuilt enough of it to form a drill sharp enough to break through even the hardest seki-seki. We then realized we needed to fashion something that could function as a battering ram. Since the drill resembled the beak of a bird, and because the Sokyoku's true form was that of a phoenix, Mayuri agreed to fashion a metallic form of Kikou as the outer shape of the ram. The eventual construction turned out to be too cumbersome to work on its own, so we had to place it upon a carriage delivery vehicle." As Urahara finished speaking, many of the others were stumped at the sheer size and complexity of the weapon.

"Um, isn't this a little too over the top?" Ishida asked. "A battering ram strong to break through the walls would be sufficient, but this is going to draw the attention of all the Royal Guards." Urahara merely smiled again.

"That is my intention, Ishida-san," he replied. "The Royal Guards and the soldiers they command will be so focused on attacking the phoenix that they'll neglect their own defences. In addition, this phoenix has a hidden surprise." Urahara walked over to the side of the carriage and pressed a button. A few seconds later the underbelly of the phoenix slid open, revealing a walkway leading right into the interior of the bird itself. Ichigo, his friends and everyone else was astounded. Urahara motioned to the captains and vice captains to follow him up the walkway and inspect the inside.

The interior of the phoenix resembled the cabins of a jetliner that Ichigo and flown in with his father several times in the real world. Everywhere he looked there were seats bolted to the floor, with 'seat belts' on the side. There were about four hundred seats concentrated in the head, two hundred seats hidden inside both wings, another eight hundreds seats in the belly of the bird. In addition, there were plenty of open deployment doors hidden in the floor of the plain. There were two at the front of the beak, two in the middle of the belly, one on each wing, and the one at the base of the tail they had just walked through.

"As you can see, there is enough room in this delivery vehicle to fit eight whole divisions," Urahara explained. "The new plan is to break through the front gates with the ram, and then drive the phoenix right into the citadel."

"How will we do that?" Ichigo asked. "A construction this large needs to be powered by fuel."

"Of course, and I have found the right sort of fuel," Urahara replied. He pressed a button that caused the entire interior of the bird to light up. Now everyone could hear a loud engine sound coming from the under carriage. "This machine combines the principles of internal combustion with electromagnetism."

* * *

The greatest weapon in Soul Society's history has been unleashed. Can the reborn Sokyoku blade be strong enough to breach the walls of the Royal Palace?

Notes: This chapter introduces all the remaining Royal Guards for the first time. Like the earler Royal Guards, each one is based on a Japanese God. I'll discuss them in brief detail:

Benten: Based on the Japanese Goddess of Fortune. She is one of the Shiki-fuku-jin, the Seven Sacred Protectors of the King

Jurojin: Based on the Japanese God of Longevity. Like his namesake, Jurojin carries a wooden staff with his right hand and a fan with his left. He is one of the Shiki-Fuku-jin

Daikoku: Based on the Japanese God of Darkness, who is the equivalent of Shiva in Hindu mythology. He is also associated with wealth and prosperity, and is one of the Shiki-fuku-jin.

Bishamon: Based on the Japanese Good Fortune God of War. He is one of the Shiki-Fuku-jin.

Fukurokuju: Also known as Fukuro. Based on the Japanese God of Wisdom. He is one of the Shiki-Fuku-jin.

Ebisu: Based on the Japanese God of Fishermen and labourers. He is one of the Shiki-Fuku-jin.

Hotei: Also known as Hotei-Osho. He based on the Japanese 'Laughing Buddha', and is possible a reference to Santa Claus. He is one of the Shiki-Fuku-jin.

Kagutsuchi: Based on the Japanese God of Fire. Alone with Raiden, Futen and Isshin, he formed the Four Sacred Elemental Guardians

Hikifune Kirio: The former captain of the 12th division. I intend for her to be based on the Buddhist Bodhisattva Guan-yin.

Tsukiyomi: Based on the Japanese Moon God, who is said to have been born from Izanagi's right eye. He is the brother of Susanoo and Amaterasu.

Susanoo: Based on the Japanese God of the Ocean, who is said to have been born from the nose of Izanagi. He originally was to be part of the Five Elemental Guardians but was kicked out. He is the brother of Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu

Amaterasu: Orihime's divine incarnation. She is based on the Japanese Sun Goddess, who is said to have been born from Izanagi's left eye. She has not yet fully assumed her divine powers.

Izanagi: The former Spirit King, now imprisoned by Aizen. He is the father of Susanoo, Tsukiyomi and Amaterasu, and is based on the Shinto Creator God. However, their relationship with each other is different to how they are depicted in Japanese Mythology

A lot more will be revealed about these Royal Guards, Orihime's divine form and the former Spirit King in later chapters.

There is one more exciting addition in this chapter: The giant battering ram Kikou. This war machine is based on the phoenix that was the true form of the Sokyoku blade. I thought it was fitting to bring the Sokyoku back, since it had such a destructive potential.

Keep the reviews coming! I really want to hear what you guys think of these latest chapters!


	31. Chapter 31: The Phoenix Reborn

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: The Great Heavenly War has begun. Ten divisions of the Gotei 13 have invaded the King's realm, using multiple portals created by the Royal Key. After swiftly eliminating any initial opposition and establishing a solid forward base, the Gotei 13 began its siege of the Royal Palace. With two dozen specially made catapults, they began bombarding the walls and the outer city with hundreds of cannon balls. The Spirit King Aizen responded to this massive attack by summoning his most trusted Royal Guards, each one a formidable captain in their own right. With several Royal Guards at the walls, the Gotei 13's siege was halted by a massive counter bombardment of flaming missiles. Realizing that a straight siege of the palace was not going to work, the Gotei 13's most skilled strategise, Urahara Kisuke, revealed Soul Society's most powerful weapon- the reforged Sokyoku Blade fashioned as a giant phoenix, with enough room to transport thousands of Shinigami through the walls...

* * *

Chapter 31: The Phoenix Reborn

All the captains and vice captains were aghast at Urahara's explanation. Those who had plenty of experience with the real world thought the entire idea was ludicrous.

"Let me get this straight, Kisuke," Kensei said. "Are you saying you built this giant artificial phoenix and made it run on gas and electricity? Have you gone mad?"

"Of course not," Urahara smiled. "You don't think it runs on actual gas and electricity do you? I merely found a way to convert spirit particles into a usable form of energy and stored them into batteries."

"Whatever, just spare us your mumbo-jumbo explanations," Love said. "Tell us what we have to do. There's no telling when the enemy will attack us with missiles again."

"Okay, okay, I'll get onto it," Urahara cleared his throat. He directed all the captains and vice captains down the ramp again and showed them a table with two large drawings. One was a schematic of the phoenix and the other was a two dimensional map of the Royal Palace.

"Here's the plan. Two divisions will have to stay behind to guard the camp whilst the other divisions board the phoenix. One of the divisions will have to maintain communications with Seireitei and hopefully the other division will stand behind to treat any casualties. The Special Ops forces will maintain a constant link between the main camp and battle front," Urahara said. "Tessai, are you willing to stay behind?"

"Of course," Tessai nodded. "The duty of the 4th division is to treat anyone that is wounded. We'll send out stretcher teams alongside the Special Ops forces."

"Our division will stay behind as well," Rose said. "We shall specifically guard the phoenix whilst the rest of you board it."

"Alright, the rest of the divisions will board the phoenix. As there is a chance that the gates will not be breached instantly, two divisions will have to guard the phoenix from enemy attacks. Anyone wants to volunteer for it?" Urahara asked. Kensei and Love held up their hands.

"It's settled then. Your divisions will sit on the wings, ready to disembark at any moment. Now, as for the remaining divisions, we can discuss the deployment strategies once everyone's inside. You may commence the boarding now." After Urahara finished, the other captains and vice captains were allowed to return to their camps. Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Sado ran as fast they could to return to the fifth division camp.

"Are you sure this idea of Urahara's is going work?" Rukia asked.

"I'm not so sure myself," Ichigo shrugged his shoulders. "But I have complete faith in him. He may do stuff that appears to be questionable, but the in the end, everything he does is for the good of Soul Society. Besides, he has tasked us with an important role: we're the ones that are going to breach the inner citadel and take on Aizen directly."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Ishida agreed. "You can act like a natural leader sometimes."

"You don't have to compliment me like that," Ichigo complained. Rukia and Sado both laughed at his annoyance.

* * *

On the other side of the walls, Fukuro, Benten, Jurojin and Ebisu were confused at the sudden halting of the bombardment. The fires that had raged inside the outer city had all been contained, and since the thirty ballistae had been fired, not one cannonball had penetrated through the force field.

"Hey, do you think we succeeded in killing them all with that missile barrage?" Ebisu asked.

"I wouldn't count on it. Even if all the missiles had hit their targets, they wouldn't have killed two thousand Shinigami so easily," Benten said.

"Clearly they must be planning something, or having a rethink of their strategy," Jurojin pondered. "Maybe they realized that bombardment wasn't going to work."

"The only way we can be sure is to find out," Fukuro said. He pointed to ten of his Bakemono guards. "All of you, climb to the top of the wall and try to see what's going out there!" The Bakemono guards nodded and rushed to the top of the wall. Using long range binoculars they peered out through the force field.

"Uh, sir, you'd better come up here quick!" One of the Bakemonos called out. "You're not going to believe what they're doing!" In a flash, Fukuro, Jurojin, Benten and Ebisu ran up the steps of the wall and stared at the area outside the wall. They were lost for words at what they saw. A gargantuan war machine, resembling a phoenix, was lying right outside their walls. It was resting on some kind of trailer or platform. In addition, hundreds of Shinigami were running up walkways into the interior of the 'machine.'

"What the hell is that?" Fukuro asked. "It's monstrous."

"It appears to be some sort of siege weapon, maybe a combination of a battering ram and a mobile tower," Jurojin pondered.

"Whatever it is, we have to stop that thing getting to the walls," Benten said. "They're clearly using it as a transport to storm into the outer city." Jurojin and Ebisu watched as Benten and Fukuro started walking down the stairs.

"Hey, where are you two going?" Ebisu asked.

"What do you think? We're going to go out there and destroy that abominable creation!" Fukuro shouted. He and Benten ordered their squads to accompany them towards the secret exits.

* * *

Outside the walls, the boarding process was moving along smoothly. The seventh and ninth divisions had gotten most of their members into the wings already. Ichigo and Renji's divisions likewise were streaming through the walkways on both sides of the head. The boarding process at the rear of the phoenix however, had gotten into some difficulties. With the sixth, tenth, eleventh and thirteenth divisions all vying to get in at once, there was almost a mass crowd crush as hundreds of Shinigami pushed and shoved each other. Urahara tried to coordinate the entire boarding as best he could. He was helped by the third and fourth divisions, which were standing guard beside the phoenix.

Just then, Rose noticed something in the sky. It looked like a giant swarm of bees. He took out a pair of binoculars and had a closer look. As soon as he did, he dropped the binoculars and unsheathed his sword.

"Izuru, tell everyone to get out their weapons!" Rose shouted. "We've got company!"

"What is it captain?" Kira asked. He looked up and saw what Rose meant. He quickly unsheathed his sword and barked orders to the rest of the division mates to do the same.

"We have to draw them away from the phoenix and hold them off long enough for everyone else to board," Rose said. He and his entire division started running away from the phoenix, much to Urahara's surprise.

"Hey, where are you going?" Urahara asked. He looked up in the sky and ducked to the ground as a multitude of arrows were fired at him. He got up and saw what appeared to be a huge squadron of aerial soldiers, equipped with bows and swords, and using gliders to soar through the air. At the front of the squadron was a woman wearing a pink suit of armour that exposed most of her chest. She was riding on what appeared to be a set of fire wheels attached to her feet.

"They're coming back for a second attack!" Kira exclaimed. He and Rose had led their division about four hundred yards away from the phoenix.

"We have to draw their fire," Rose said. He placed his left hand upon the centre of his sword. "Ripple, Mizuyuri!" His Zanpakto transformed into a long and slender rapier with a curved guard. As the large group of flyers swooped down at the crowd around the phoenix, Rose jabbed his sword upwards, sending invisible beams of energy outwards. These beams succeeded in destroying the gliders of several flyers, sending them falling to their deaths. The woman at the front, clearly the squad leader, ordered the flyers to turn around and attack Rose's men.

"Watch out for the arrows!" Rose shouted. He, Kira and his men all dived to the ground to avoid the hail of arrows that were fired outwards. As the group of fliers swooped upwards again, Rose fired several more beams, downing soldiers with every shot. Desperate to get into action, Kira leaped into the air, against Rose's orders.

"Raise your head, Wabisuke!" Kira shouted. The front of his Zanpakto bent into a rectangular shape. Kira made himself an easy target, trying to lure the flyers at him.

"Hmph, a fool who is willing to kill himself," the woman at the front muttered. " She unsheathed her sword and charged right at Kira. At the last moment, Kira dodged out of the way and struck the woman's sword ten times. He then proceeded to slash at the gliders of the soldiers that followed. He got through the last flyer, and landed on the ground again. As he turned around, he smirked as the effects of his Zanpakto started to be felt. All of a sudden the hundred or so fliers he had attacked fell to their deaths as the weight of their gliders overburdened them. The woman also started falling. However, she was agile enough to land on both feet, unlike the rest of her men.

"Good job Izuru," Rose said. "But next time, can you remind me before you do a stunt like that again?"

"Sure thing?" Kira nodded. The two of them stared at the woman, who clearly looked furious. Her sword was half buried in the ground due to the extra weight Kira had put on it.

"That wasn't nice of you to do that," she spoke to Kira. "Killing my men and making my sword this heavy."

"Who said there was anything nice about war?" Rose asked. The woman was not amused.

"You must be a Gotei 13 captain," she said. Rose smiled and bowed his head.

"Third division captain Otoribashi Rojuro at your service," he said.

"Are you trying to impress me or something?" the woman asked. "I'm Benzai Tenako, Guardian of the King. People usually call be Benten."

"Oh, so you're a Royal Guard," Rose said. "I fought one before, another female. What was her name? Uzume I think it was." Benten visibly tensed at the name.

"You monster! What have you done with her!" she shouted.

"Don't get worked up so hard. I didn't kill her. She's been held as a prisoner. She'll be freed once the war is over." Upon hearing this, Benten started laughing.

"Do you really think you Shinigami can oppose the will of King Aizen?" she asked. "How naive of you. Spin, Sarasvati!" Her Zanpakto rose from the ground, flipped horizontally and started spinning in a circle within a few seconds it had changed into what appeared to be a hollow tambourine, gold in colour. Numerous tiny blades shaped like bells lined the outside edge of the tambourine, and the inside edge had a diagonal handle running across. Benten held it easily with one hand.

"How, how can she be holding her Zanpakto after I multiplied its weight by a factor of ten?" Kira asked.

"Foolish boy," Benten chided him. "Do you really think a lame ability like that would have any effect? My Sarasvati is constantly levitating. It can hover by itself without me holding onto it at all. And I can direct it wherever I want. Like this!" Benten threw the tambourine at Kira. Before Kira could even react, the rapidly spinning tambourine slammed into it. Kira screamed in pain as the multiple blades along the tambourine cut into his skin like a chainsaw. Huge amounts of blood spurted out of his waist. Kira was saved from being cut in half by Rose, who knocked the tambourine away. The tambourine returned to Benten, who proceeded to throw it at Rose's men. Rose could only watch on horror as the tambourine sliced through nearly a dozen members of the third squad, almost severing some of them in half. In a desperate attempt to stop the carnage, Rose dived into the oncoming path of the tambourine and blocked it with his sword. He winced as he felt the blades of the tambourine cut into his blade. With all of his strength, he succeeded in knocking the tambourine away, not before he was cut in the cheeks. The tambourine returned to Benten's hand.

"Izuru, are you alright?" Rose asked as he examined Kira's injuries. He opened up Kira's Shishakusho and was aghast at what he saw. The blades on the tambourine had literally torn open his stomach. Rose quickly ordered several of his men to take Kira back to the fourth division camp for treatment. He ordered the rest of his men to run back and guard the phoenix. He then stood up and looked at Benten.

"Normally I would go easy on a woman, but since you've killed my men and critically injured my vice captain, I won't hold back," Rose said. "Bankai, Madoka Numa Mizuyuri!" All of a sudden his Zanpakto emitted a blinding light that spread outwards for nearly five hundred yards. Benten covered her eyes as the glare of the light was too much for her to handle. She stepped backwards and found herself stepping into water. She opened her eyes again and was stunned at what she saw. In an instant a vast area of the grassland around them had been transformed into a pond, complete with trees, mosses, lilies and marsh grass around the banks. Upon the surface of the pool were thousands upon thousands of green leaves, large enough for a person's foot to stand on. In addition, there two pillars of rock jutting out from the bottom of the bond, forming nice platforms to rest on. Rose was already standing one of the pillars. Benten quickly found her footing and stood on the other.

"What do you think of it? This is my Bankai," Rose said.

"Huh, it's not very impressive then," Benten teased. "If all it does is to make a fake pool of water then you stand no chance against me."

"Oh, just you wait, the real fun begins now," Rose smiled. Still holding the complete form of his Shikai, he made an upward motion with his sword. In an instant a huge column of water shot out from the surface of the bond and attacked Benten. Benten jumped into the air and slashed the water apart with her tambourine. However, her backward motion carried her near the edge of the pond, where a large vine plant seized both of her legs. She cut the vine with her tambourine, but in doing so lowered her guard for a moment. This allowed Rose to Shunpo behind her and slash her across the chest. Benten screamed in pain as a huge amount of blood spurted out of her body. She clutched her chest with her left hand and with her right hand threw the tambourine at Rose. Rose simply Shunpo-ed away. Before Benten could react, a monstrous fish leaped out of the water and bit at her. Benten managed to block its jaw with her tambourine, but the inertia of the fish was powerful enough to drag her under the water.

Rose landed on one of the rock pillars again and waited for her to surface. A minute later, Benten emerged onto the other pillar, gasping for breath. Streams of spirit particles were flowing down her body.

"What the hell is this? I feel like my energy's being drained," Benten said.

"Of course. If you haven't realized by now, this pool isn't a normal pool. It's completely made out of concentrated spirit energy. The water in this pool has a similar effect to seki-seki stone. Anybody who falls into it will have their reiatsu gradually sucked away," Rose explained.

"Tch, you chauvinistic pig!" Benten swore. "And you call yourself a Gotei 13 captain! I was a captain of the Gotei 13 long before you were. I was the dragon princess of the Munetsuchi family, one of Soul Society's most powerful noble families. But one day, our family was cast out of Seireitei and I was forced into servitude as a Royal Guard. That is why I now detest Soul Society."

"Wow, the princess of the Munetsuchi clan, that's quite a history. Isn't an honour for them to have you be promoted to the Royal Guard?"

"Shut up! I'm going to kill you! Bankai, Sarasvati Devi, Vritra!" Benten shouted. Her tambourine rose out of her hands and started spinning around rapidly. It multiplied into five separate tambourines of different colours. These tambourines made a whole variety of different sounds, which combined into a process of percussion music. Benten's appearance had changed too. An elegant floral gown was now covering her armour, giving her long sleeved robes and a crown of flowers.

"Let's make the water in this pond flow," Benten said. She spread out her arms outwards and caused the surface of the water to ripple. Her five tambourines spun together and soon a huge three headed hydra made entirely out of water appeared. Benten ordered the hydra to attack. Rose jumped up as one of the hydra's heads crashed against the pillar he was standing on. However, as he was in the air, another hydra head spewed out a torrent of superheated steam at him. Rose grimaced as his skin was scalded by the scorching hot water. Before he could get away, the final hydra head crashed into him, and sent a huge surge of electricity right through his body. Rose screamed in pain. The shock was too much for him to bear and he lost his ability to stay in the hair. He fell into the pond. Upon seeing this, Benten let out a laugh.

"How was that? Your own Bankai backfired on you! Let it suck your energy out and drain away your reiatsu!" she shouted for joy. Her laughter was cut short when she saw bubbles appear at the surface of the water. All of a sudden an immense column of reiatsu shot out of the pond, almost engulfing Benten. The Royal Guard flinched in shock as she saw Rose rise out of the water. His face was now twisted into a ghastly clown mask, with white skin and a bloody red smile. He now exuded fear and terror.

"What the hell are you? That looks like a hollow mask!" Benten exclaimed.

"I am a Vizard, a Shinigami who has stepped into the realms of the hollows. This is my mask. With this, I have a vast array of hollow powers at my disposal," Rose said. His voice had now become nasally and hoarse. He pointed his left index finger at Benten, and fired a gigantic cero at her. Benten dodged the huge red energy blast and watched it smash into the palace walls. She didn't anticipate Rose coming behind her. Rose charged a bala in his right leg and kicked Benten hard in the face, sending her plummeting into the pond. Rose heard her screams as the water sucked away her spirit energy. He sealed away his Bankai, returning the ground to its normal state. Benten was now lying unconscious on her back. Rose checked her pulse and was satisfied that she was still alive.

"I have to get check on Izuru," he said. He limped towards the phoenix.

* * *

Back at the phoenix boarding area, most of the Shinigami had gotten on board. Only stragglers from the eleventh and sixth divisions were waiting to get on. In the fourth division camp however, there was a frenzy of activity as dozens of members from the third division were brought him. Some were already dead, others were bleeding profusely. Tessai, Hachi and their most senior officers were having a hard time treating all of them.

"Hachi, can you pass me a bandage please?" Tessai asked. Hachi grabbed a bandage from a box. Just then, the division's third seat Yamada Hanataro burst into the main tent.

"Captain, we've got a serious customer coming through!" Hanataro exclaimed. He motioned to a stretcher team to carry a severely injured Kira.

"It's vice captain Kira!" Hachi exclaimed. He and Tessai did a quick check up.

"He's suffered heavy lacerations and internal bleeding," Tessai said. "We need to treat him right away." Tessai told Hanataro's team to carry the other patients into the nearby tents. Then he and Hachi applied high density spiritual energy at the area of the wound. Within minutes the tear across Kira's stomach had healed.

Before they could finish treatment however, a huge explosion erupted outside the tent, severely shaken both Tessai and Hachi. They left Kira lying on the medical table and rushed outside. What they saw was complete chaos. Several tents had been destroyed and the bodies of a dozen fourth division members were lying motionless on the ground. Tessai and Hachi peered out through the smoke and saw a huge mass of ominous shapes. When the smoke cleared the shapes resolved into a hundred-man strong squad, led by a strange man with a huge forehead. Tessai recognised him immediately.

"Fukurokuju," he said. The bald-headed Royal Guard smirked.

"Long time no see, Tsukabishi Tessai," Fukuro said. "Has the strain of being the head of the Kidou Corps taken its toll on you?"

"What are you talking about? I abandoned that post long ago. I'm now the captain of the fourth division."

"That would mean Retsu's become the new Commander. I doubt she could fill Yamamoto's shoes that well," Fukuro closed his eyes.

"Retsu has more than ably replaced the late Yamamoto. It was her leadership that got us this far," Tessai argued.

"Well, however far you've gotten, your endeavours were in vain. This invasion ends here," Fukuro said. He ordered his Bakemono guardians to attack all of the fallen fourth division members. Before they could do that, Hachi Shunpo-ed in front of them and unsheathed his sword.

"Twirl, Takoshokushu!" he shouted. His Zanpakto changed shape, transforming into a pink wriggling octopus tentacle that was attached to his right hand. Hachi extended the tentacle, wrapping up several Bakemono soldiers. Using his left hand, he fired an unspoken Soukatsui spell at them, blowing them up. Hachi repeated this process several times, killing dozens of Bakemono soldiers. Seeing his vice captain fighting, Tessai joined in the action.

"Tear apart, Onitsume!" Tessai shouted. His Zanpakto emitted a pulsating red light and transformed itself. It seemingly merged with his right hand, turning it into a gigantic red gauntlet, with claws at the end. The surface of the gauntlet was covered with eldritch runes. With his released Zanpakto, Tessai pointed his right hand at Fukuro and his Bakemono. In an instant streams of blue lightning streaked out of the claws, electrifying every single soldier in the vicinity. Fukuro had been electrified as well, but he managed to deflect most of the damage. With his long yellow robes covered with soot, he was definitely not pleased.

"The two of you have angered me long enough!" Fukuro shouted. "Let me show you my true power. Shine, Sankyohaku!" His sword glowed brightly and changed shape. It lengthened out into a staff. The head of staff was shaped like a crescent moon, with three star like orbs attached to its end. Fukuro held the staff with both hands.

"Are you ready Hachi?" Tessai asked. Hachi nodded. The two of them simultaneously attacked. Tessai fired another streak of lightning from his claw whilst Hachi lashed out at Fukuro with his tentacle. To their surprise both attacks rebounded against an invisible force fielded that surrounded Fukuro's body. Tessai and Hachi tried again, this time changing their attacks. Tessai slashed at Fukuro with his gauntlet whilst Hachi squirted black ink from his tentacle. Again, both attacks easily bounced off Fukuro's body.

"Fools, do you think those levels of attacks would work?" Fukuro asked. "Take this!" He fired an incredible blast of lightning at Tessai, who screamed in pain as his entire body writhed with electricity. Fukuro proceeded to lift Hachi into the air, impale him with a dozen stakes and then threw him several hundred yards away.

"Hachi!" Tessai shouted. He didn't have to tend to his loyal comrade's aid, as Fukuro lifted him several hundred feet into the air and threw him back down. Tessai barely managed to avoid a crippling fall, landing with a hard crash on his rear end. He peered up to see Fukuro standing over him.

"This is the end, Tessai," Fukuro said, showing no pity or emotion. "I shall kill you right here and then I will kill the others who are planning to siege the palace." He raised his staff high above him and charged its head with spirit energy.

"This battle is far from over," Tessai said. He gripped his gauntlet with both hands. "Bankai!" The gauntlet glowed bright red and let out a sinister howl. In an instant a huge red portal appeared behind Tessai. From this hole a gigantic red demon with horns emerged, accompanied by several minor demons. The demon towered above Tessai, standing at nearly ten feet in height. Fukuro was now terrified of the monster, and he quickly backed away.

"What in the heavens is that?" he asked nervously. "It looks like a demon from the underworld. Have you been meddling with the agents of Hell, Tsukabishi Tessai?"

"Of course not. Those demons are part of my Bankai, Onitsume, Seki no Kuragari," Tessai replied. "Go, Tenma Oh!" He ordered the chief demon to attack Fukuro. The Royal Guard fired a concentrated beam of chain lightning at the demon. The beam punched a huge hole through the demon's chest but the demon regenerated itself in an instant. Before Fukuro could raise his defences, the demon took a huge swipe at him with his claw. Fukuro's spirit power was worthless against the sheer power of the demon; its claws tore into his robes and sent him flying into the air. Fukuro just managed to stop himself and hovered above the ground, panting heavily. He now a huge gash across his torso, and blood flowed freely down the side of his body.

"Now you've done it," Fukuro snarled. "I was thinking of giving you a swift death, but now I shall make you taste a world of pain! Bankai!" An enormous ball of reiatsu surrounded his body, obscuring him from view. When the smoke cleared, he was sitting upon a gargantuan turtle that was literally floating in the air. Sitting on his forehead was a graceful white crane. Instead of a staff he was now holding a calligraphy brush, and in his lap was a large parchment notebook.

"This is my Bankai, Sankyohaku, Chisiku Bukku," Fukuro explained. "In my past life, I acquired a book that contained the secrets to immortality and infinite knowledge. Using this book, I became a sage of immense power. Now I shall show you the power I have attained!" Fukuro scribbled something in his notebook. A second later Tessai grasped his chest and screamed as he felt huge pain in his heart. He coughed out a load of blood. Fukuro scribbled again in the notebook; a second later the blood vessels in Tessai's legs and arms burst open, causing Tessai to collapse on the ground. In desperation Tessai ordered his minor demons to attack. The lesser oni jumped at Fukuro, but the turtle he was riding on opened its mouth and spewed a vat of acid onto all of them. The demons shrieked as the acid dissolved away. _Damn it, I can't die here!_ Tessai thought to himself, he was fading rapidly; the pain in his heart was becoming too much to bear.

"Now, prepare for the final blow," Fukuro grinned. He was about to put his brush onto his notebook again, when all of a sudden he was hit in the back by an incredibly powerful blast. The blow was so powerful that he threw up a gallon of blood. A second red blast destroyed his turtle, causing him to fall to the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Fukuro asked in shock as he got up. His eyes widened when he saw who it was. Hachi had returned. Though bloodied and full of stab wounds, he was still standing. His face now looked like a hideous octopus, complete with huge circular eyes and a large white maw. Before Fukuro could question what it was, Hachi chanted the phrase, "Bakudou 63, Sajo Sabaku!" Fukuro's arms were and legs were bound by a dense yellow spirit rope.

"Now's your chance captain Tessai!" Hachi shouted. Tessai felt the pain in his heart loosen. He got up again and held out his left hand.

"Hadou 88, Hiryu Gekizoku Shinten Raiho!" Tessai shouted. He fired an immense yellow blast of pure spirit energy at Fukuro. The Royal Guard could only scream as he was utterly engulfed by the ensuring explosion. The Shinigami near the phoenix gasped as they saw a brilliant mushroom cloud light the sky. When the cloud disappeared, Fukuro was lying on his back, his body completely burnt. Tessai bent down to check his body and discovered he was still alive. He took a deep breath and returned his sword to normal.

"Hachi, are you alright?" he asked. His loyal vice captain removed his mask and sheathed his sword.

"I'm alright, captain," Hachi replied.

"Let's take him back to the camp. We've got some major work to do." The two of them picked up Fukuro and carried his body back towards the camp.

* * *

Back at the phoenix, the boarding process was complete. All eight divisions were now inside. Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Sado, Ryuken and Lisa sat behind Urahara in the cockpit of the phoenix, behind the machine's eyes.

"Alright, has everyone got their seat belts tucked in?" Urahara spoke into a large microphone. "I am preparing the ignition sequence."

"Hey, Urahara-san, what about Tessai and Rose?" Ichigo asked. "They were fighting those two Royal Guards outside."

"Never mind about them. The second and twelfth divisions will be along soon to lend them some help," Urahara replied. "We need to seize this moment to attack." Urahara pulled a lever, and a second later everyone in the phoenix could hear an incredible rumbling sound, as the turbo thrusters in the launch carriage fired up.

"Ignition sequence has started," Urahara spoke into the microphone. "We shall have ignition in ten seconds. Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, blast off!"

"W, wait!" Ichigo and his friends shouted out. Before they could speak anymore, the entire phoenix shot forward at an immense speed. Within seconds it was already at the walls. The remaining Royal Guards and other soldiers who were standing at the walls scampered for cover as the phoenix smashed into the main gate, causing a seismic shockwave that shook the foundations of the royal palace.

* * *

The war phoenix Kikou has smashed into the walls of the Royal Palace, with eight divisions inside. Has the Gotei 13 succeeded in breaching the walls?

Notes: I have to admit it took a lot of planning to work out the fight sequences in this chapter. It was difficutl trying to come up with fighting styles for each of the combatants, not just for the OCs, but also for Rose, Tessai and Hachigen, who haven't been seen a lot in the manga. The design of the Royal Guards was especially interesting, as I drew upon the mythological aspects of the gods they were based on. I will explain some of the terms that readers will be unfamiliar with:

Benzai Tenako: This is Benten's full name, and is a variation of Benzai-ten, the other name of the god she is based on. Her Zanpakto is called Sarasvati, which happens to be Benten's Sanksrit name. It literally means 'flowing'. It is based on a tambourine and I drew heavily from the depcitions of the goddess in Japanese mythology, who is said to be a patron of words, water and music. Her Bankai, Sarasvati Devi, Vritra, is an extension of that. Devi is Sanksrit for water and is the second part of Benten's Sanksrit name. Vritra is name of the three-headed hydra that the goddess Benten supposdely killed.

Madoka Numa Mizuyuri: This is Rose's Bankai. Its name means Tranquil Pond Water Lily in Japanese. It is based on those Chinese martial arts films that featured fight scenes where both fighters floated across the lakes, most famously depicted in Zhang Yimou's Hero.

Fukurokuju: There was a lot of interesting mythology to draw upon in designing this character. I made as many references to the god he is based on as possible. His Shikai, Sankyohaku, which means 'three stars' in Japanese, is based on the idea of Fukurokuju being the assimilation of the three Chinese Star Gods, Fu, Lu and Shou. His Bankai, Sankyohaku Chisiku Bukku, or Three Stars Book of Knowledge, is based on the sacred book that the god is depicted as carrying, which supposedly contains a magical scripture. The turtle and crane are both symbols that are associated with Fukurokuju.

Takushokushu: This is Hachi's Zanpakto. It means Octopus Tentacle. I thought it would be funny for Hachi to have a Zanpakto that relates to his name (Hachi being eight in Japanese).

Onitsume: This is Tessai's Zanpako. It means Demon hand or gauntlet in Japanese. Considering Tessai's former role of being the head of the Demon Arts Corps, and since Kubo depicted him with horns during TBTP, I thought it would be cool to take his devil references further. His Bankai, Onitsume Seki no Kuragari, which means Demon hand, Gate of Darkness in Japanese, is an extension of the Japanese oni theme I developed for him.


	32. Chapter 32: Breaking of the Void

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: The Great Heavenly war has begun. The Gotei 13 have invaded the King's realm using portals created by the royal key. After wiping out the initial defenders, the Gotei 13 began laying seige to the Royal Palace, bombarding the palace walls and the buildings inside the force field with cannon balls. After the Royal Guards manning the walls responded by firing a barrage of missiles at the Gotei 13's base camp, the commander of the invasion force, Urahara Kisuke, revealed his secret weapon: a gigantic phoenix forged from the remnants of the Sokyoku Blade. Using the constuct as a battering ram to break through the walls, the Gotei 13 began to load thousands of Shinigami into the hull of the Phoenix. The Royal Guards responded to the slow boarding with a lightning counter-offensive, attacking the base camp and the phoenix itself. They were confronted by third and fourth divisions, and titanic battles between the two opposing forces began. Rose and Mashiro, Tessai and Hachi, both pairs worked together to ultimately defeat their Royal Guard opponents. They bought enough time for the phoenix to be fully boarded. The coast was clear for Urahara to ram the phoenix directly into the front gates...

* * *

Chapter 32: Breaking of the Void

Inside the cockpit, everyone was recovering from being severely dazed by the impact with the main palace walls. Though thankfully their seat belts had prevented any of them from being thrown about, the abrupt change in velocity had been incredibly painful.

"Ouch, what a blow that was," Ichigo said. His temple throbbed non-stop, and it felt like his brain was going to explode.

"Is everyone okay?" Urahara said, picking his battered green hat off the floor.

"My glasses are definitely not okay," Ishida grunted. His glasses had fallen off during the crash and now both of the lenses had been smashed. "Fortunately, I brought along a spare." He took another pair of glasses from his pocket and put it on.

"Uyru, you really need to get some heavy duty glasses," Ryuken smiled. Ichigo, Rukia and Sado cracked up laughing, much to Ishida's embarrassment.

"Burgh, I never want to experience that sensation again," Renji said. He cleaned some froth that was coming out of his mouth." At last, everyone in the cockpit had recovered were now looking out at the Seki-Seki wall. To their disappointment, it was still standing.

"Urahara-san, what are we going to do now? The Sokyoku blade failed to break through the wall," Ichigo said.

"Relax, we aren't finished yet," Urahara said. "This baby has another surprise up its sleeve." He cranked another lever at the controls. A moment later the 'beak' of the phoenix started spinning. Ichigo and the others heard an incessantly loud grinding sensation as the blade of the Sokyoku inside the beak started drilling into the gate.

"I see, we're going to drill through the front gates," Rukia said. Urahara nodded.

"It's going to take some time, but once the blade gets going, nothing can stop it."

* * *

On the other side of the wall, the Royal Guards and the soldiers who had survived being blown away by the impact were only just climbing to their feet. Ebisu and Jurojin felt dazed and battered as they stood up.

"Gosh, what a terrifying impact that was," Ebisu said, still clutching his head. "It looks like Benten and Fukuro failed. They're either dead or captured by the enemy."

"It certainly appears that way," Jurojin pondered.

"Hey, what are the two of you doing?" a gruff voice appeared from behind. Ebisu and Jurojin turned around and froze in shock. It was Bishamon and Daikoku.

"Bishamon-san, Daikoku-san, it's a pleasure seeing you here!" Ebisu pretended to be polite.

"Quit with the pleasantries Ebisu," Daikoku said. "Aizen-sama is most displeased that you almost let the Gotei 13 breach the walls." Ebisu cowered in fear at Daikoku's arrogant gaze.

"What happened to Benten and Fukuro?" Bishamon asked, scanning the area.

"The two of them led their squads out to attack the Gotei 13 in a vain attempt to prevent them from loading up the war machine that's standing outside the gates," Jurojin replied. Bishamon stamped his feet in a rage.

"Those idiots!" he screamed. "They should have known better than to charge blindly against an enemy. What they thinking, getting into a situation where they were horribly outnumbered."

"Clearly they were not thinking with their minds," Daikoku closed his eyes for a moment. Just then, a Bakemono elite guard ran up to the Royal Guards panting heavily.

"Esteemed masters, the Gotei 13 are starting to break through the walls!" the soldiers exclaimed. "The huge bird they are riding in started drilling through the gates with its beak!" Ebisu, Jurojin, Daikoku and Bishamon were all stunned.

"Ebisu, Jurojin, get out there and stop that machine in whatever way you can!" Bishamon ordered.

"But, the two you just said Benten and Fukuro were foolish for doing the same thing!" Ebisu protested.

"It doesn't matter now. As long as the gate is not broken there is no chance we can be defeated," Daikoku said in an emotionless tone.

"He's right. Our duties as Royal Guards override our personal safety," Jurojin said. Ebisu humbly conceded. The two of them ordered their squads to head for the secret exits in the palace walls.

* * *

Ichigo, Urahara and the others inside the cockpit of the phoenix were pleased with the progress the Sokyoku drill was making. It had gone through nearly half the gate and was starting to split the gate in half. The soldiers that were still standing on the wall made desperate but utterly futile attempts to stop the phoenix from drilling any further, firing flaming arrows at the beak that either bounced off or were disintegrated.

"We're making good progress with the drill," Ichigo said. Urahara nodded.

"I expect it will only take fifteen or twenty minutes for the walls to be breached," he said. Just then Isshin's voice was heard on the cockpit's speaker.

"Urahara, there's trouble outside the phoenix," Isshin said.

"What is it?" Urahara asked. Ichigo and Renji promptly descended down to the lower level of the phoenix's head to check what was going on. Rukia and Lisa followed them.

"Two Royal Guard squads are closing in on us. I think they are carrying something with them," Isshin replied. "It looks like gunpowder. They're heading towards the wings right now." Urahara started to panic. He reached for the microphone.

"Love, Kensei, there are two Royal Guards heading towards you," Urahara called out. "Take your divisions outside and neutralize them."

Inside the holds of the two wings, Love and Kensei heard Urahara's message and ordered their men to move out.

"Why are we heading outside?" Mashiro asked her captain.

"There's a Royal Guard heading our way, and he's probably brought his troops with him," Love replied. As soon as the walkway descended, Love stormed out of the wing, and unsheathed his sword. Mashiro was right behind him and the two of them were followed by their division members. Using a wedge-shaped formation, they covered a lot of ground and tried to get as far as far away from the phoenix as possible. Within minutes they had spotted a substantial enemy army heading towards them. Most of the soldiers were dressed up like the Akuma and Tengu warriors Love and Mashiro had encountered in the Soul Society. They were led a skinny looking man with a haggard looking face and a goatee. He was wearing a green coloured samurai robe, covered with silver plated shoulder plates and a vest, and he had a slightly misshapen hat on his head.

"Who the hell are you?" Love asked.

"Are you talking to me?" the stranger glared. "I am Hiroko Ebisu, Guardian of the King!" The stranger strutted in a strange looking pose that caused Mashiro to laugh.

"He's a weird guy," Mashiro whispered to Love, who nodded.

"You must be a Royal Guard," Love said.

"Why yes I am…and why is your friend laughing at me?" Ebisu asked. Love shrugged his shoulders.

"She thinks your fashion sense is kind of awful."

"Why, you're no better! Look at that pointy afro of yours! I can't believe someone like you is a captain of the Gotei 13!"

"Whatever, I don't have time to trash talk with you," Love said. He ordered his division to advance forward and attack the enemy soldiers.

"So, you want to play dirty huh?" Ebisu asked. "Akuma, destroy those pests!" At his order, the hundred or so soldiers unsheathed their swords and charged at Love's men. Without time to form a battle plan, Love and Mashiro started to cut through the Akuma like butter, slicing through multiple soldiers. Unfortunately, their men didn't fare so well, and Love heard the screams of his division members as they fell.

"Mashiro, let's end this quickly before more of our troops get hurt," Love said. Mashiro nodded. Love put his left hand on the front of his blade.

"Pounce, Kurohyou!" Love shouted. His Zanpakto disintegrated and reformed itself as a pair of yellow claws that crew over his hands.

"Vibrate, Kuritetto!" Mashiro followed suit. The blade of her Zanpakto literally turned into a moving swarm of crickets.

"Let's do this," Love ordered. He leaped into the fray and began slashing at dozens of Akuma soldiers. Each of the soldiers he attacked had their faces literally torn in half. Mashiro sent her swarm of crickets to surround enemy soldiers and literally devour them whole. When the crickets were finished, not a trace of the former soldier's body was left. Love and Mashiro continued to mow through the Akuma, supported by the rest of their division who were now inspired by the heroic efforts of their captain and vice captain. Soon, almost all of the soldiers Ebisu had brought with him were dead, with the rest scrambling for safety despite the Royal Guard's protests.

"Come back here you cowards!" Ebisu shouted. It was no use. He was now alone against nearly two hundred Shinigami.

"What a pain in the arse," he sighed. "I really don't like doing nasty jobs like this but I guess I have no choice. Hunt them, Asarimori!" His Zanpakto morphed into what looked like a harpoon gun, complete with a long barrel, a trigger and a giant spear with a rope attached to it. Ebisu held it with both hands.

"Holy shit, he's got a gun!" Mashiro exclaimed in fright. The other members of the division backed away too.

"Calm down, it's just like any other released Zanpakto," Love said.

"Oh really?" Ebisu asked. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. "This harpoon of mine is special. During the early days when I was in Rukongai, I used to hunt and trap fish swimming in the lakes and sell them for profit. The simple harpoon I used then remained by my side even after I became a Shinigami and it eventually mutated into my Zanpakto."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Love said. "I don't care about your personal history."

"That's a bit insulting don't you think? People like you should be taught manners," Ebisu crowed. "Very well, if you're not interested in where I got it, perhaps you'll be interested in what it does!" He took aim at Love and fired the spear at him. Love and Mashiro quickly dodged to the side, but little did they know that they had fallen for Ebisu's trap. The spear impaled a poor seventh division member, killing him instantly. The rope attached to the string expanded into a large webbed net that covered the rest of the division, effectively immobilizing them. Love and Mashiro were caught as well.

"Darn it, I hate this net!" Love cursed. He and Mashiro tried desperately to get out.

"My net is made out of a special spirit threat that is as strong as titanium and as flexible as a spider web," Ebisu explained. "It also has one more feature; it can conduct electricity." With that he sent a powerful electrical current running through the net, shocking everyone who was under it. Love and Mashiro screamed as they felt lightning surge through their bodies.

"Quick, do something Mashiro!" Love grimaced.

"Okay," Mashiro grunted. She stuck her sword out the net and directed the swarm of crickets to devour as much of it as possible. To her and Love's delight, the crickets easily munched through the fabric and within a minute had almost eaten the whole thing. Love, Mashiro and most of their men scrambled to get up and escape the net. However, nearly a dozen seventh division members had been electrified by the current and were lying dead on the ground. Love and Mashiro panted heavily as Ebisu went red in the face.

"You ruined my precious net!" he screamed furiously. "It will take days to repair it."

"Hah, glad to hear that," Love smirked. "Pity you won't have the time." He ordered the rest of his men to return to the phoenix and guard it. Once the vicinity around them was cleared, Love felt confident enough to begin.  
"Alright, time to go all out," he said. "Bankai!" He slammed his right hand open palmed onto the ground, and gradually turned a huge area of grassland into a tropical rainforest, complete with a shallow river running through it. Tons of mangroves lined both sides of the river, their canopies large enough to nearly blot out the sky above. Ebisu was shocked at the sudden changed in scenery. He looked around and then noticed his foes had somehow disappeared.

"Where have you pests gone? And what is this place?" he asked.

"This whole forest is my Bankai. Kurohyou, Yobidashi Yasei," Love said in a voice loud enough for Ebisu to hear. "In here, we play by my rules." As soon as he finished speaking, Ebisu heard a footstep nearby. He stepped backwards and stepped on a branch. A second later he was slashed across the right cheek. Ebisu hastily pulled back his spear and fired it again. The spear ended up hitting nothing and landed in the water again. Love then Shunpo-ed behind Ebisu and slashed him in the back. Ebisu screamed as he fell over, a huge amount of blood spurting out of his body. He landed face down in the water. Just as he did so he heard the incessant buzzing of crickets nearby. Something landed on his leg and Ebisu felt a sharp pain as if his leg was being eaten. He scrambled onto his feet and brushed the cricket off his body. As he did so, he heard the accursed voice of the girl laughing hard in the shadows.

"I've had enough of this stupid forest," Ebisu said. "It makes reminds me of the dark days of my childhood when I was abandoned by my parents because I was a freak of nature. The only friends I have are the fishes in the sea, and so I call upon them! Bankai!"

Ebisu's harpoon gun disintegrated into a brilliant cascade of sparks. These sparks drifted down into the water and turned into a shoal of fearsome piranhas and a huge shark. Love and Mashiro, who were hiding amongst the mangroves, wondered what Ebisu was up to. When they stepped out of the mangroves, their feet were almost instantly surrounded by numerous piranhas, all snapping viciously at them. Love and Mashiro jumped up and latched onto mangroves.

"Where did these fucking fish come from?" Love asked. "They were never part of my rainforest!" Then he heard a maniacal laugh from Ebisu.

"Like the change I've made to your forest? I've added in some colourful fauna. These piranhas are part of my Bankai, Asarimori, Mizu no Zetsumei. And so is this little baby." Love and Mashiro's eyes widened as they saw Ebisu stand on a huge great white shark that was literally flying out of the water at them. They narrowly avoided being bitten by its huge jaws. However, the force of the shark's attack knocked them both into the water, where the flesh hungry piranhas were waiting. Before Love and Mashiro could get out again, the piranhas were upon them.

"Argh, they're biting my leg!" Love screamed as the piranhas tore through the skin of his feet and ankles.

"Help me Love!" Mashiro pleaded as she desperately tried to tear away the piranha that was chomping on her left hand.

"Look out from behind!" Ebisu laughed as he swooped down on them with the shark again. Fighting the excruciating pain, Love and Mashiro managed to hit the shark with their Zanpaktos and jump back into the trees, with piranhas still latching on to them. Love squashed the piranha that was eating his leg and Mashiro used her crickets to devour the piranha upon her left. The copious amounts of blood that dripped from their bodies attracted the piranha below like a pack of hungry dogs.

"This isn't good, we need to finish him off quickly," Love said.

"But how?" Mashiro asked. "Your Bankai is useless against him.

"Let's put on our masks." Mashiro nodded. The two of them went Vizard mode, their reiatsu instantly skyrocketing. Ebisu wondered what the sudden increase in reiatsu was, when Love jumped out and fired a double palmed cero from his hands. The huge red blast instantly obliterated Ebisu's shark, sending him falling into the river. At the same time Mashiro charged balas in her feet and repeatedly stomped at the river, killing all of the piranhas. As Ebisu tried to get up Love stomped his feet upon his stomach.

"Mercy, I surrender!" Ebisu cried. Love wasn't fooled.

"Do you think you could really trick me with that feint?" Love asked. "Say that you surrender after you receive this!" Love punched Ebisu hard in the face, cracking his nose. He punched him two more times, almost smashing his head in.  
"Surely we've punished him enough," Mashiro said.

"I agree. Let's leave him lying here. We've got to return to the phoenix," Love said.

* * *

On the other side of the phoenix, Kensei, Hisagi and their men were facing off against the Royal Guard Jurojin. Kensei recognised his wizened old face and walking stick instantly. He unsheathed his sword and ordered Hisagi and the others to do the same.

"I remember you," Kensei said. Jurojin chuckled.

"It'd be surprising if you didn't, Muguruma," Jurojin said.

"Of course. How could I forget your face, Jurojin Seishi. It's been a long time. Almost two centuries since I've seen your face."

"You sure have grown up a lot Muguruma, but I see you're still lacking in maturity. I do not wish to kill you, but the circumstances leave me with no choice."

"Bring it on then," Kensei smiled. Jurojin raised his staff and ordered his Bakemono and Tengu soldiers to attack then. Kensei placed his left hand upon his blade.

"Blow, Tachikaze!" Kensei shouted. His Zanpakto turned into a small combat knife, and instantly released a powerful Kidou blast that killed dozens of soldiers.

"You'd better release as well Shuhei," Kensei whispered to Hisagi who nodded.

"Strike, Ikasuchi!" Hisagi shouted. His Zanpakto changed into a six foot long twin-bladed halberd, crackling with electricity. Hisagi spun his staff around and scythed through the ranks of the enemy soldiers, slicing and electrocuting them at the same time. Kensei continued to fire energy blasts from his combat knife as the rest of his division moved in to finish off the stragglers. Jurojin watched with some amusement as nearly all of his men were either killed or lost their nerves and ran away.

Soon, only Jurojin himself was left against Kensei, Hisagi and two hundred other Shinigami. The Royal Guard pretended to be frightened.

"Oh my, I'm outnumbered two hundred to one. Whatever shall I do?" Jurojin asked.

"You could surrender right now and turn yourself in," Kensei said. "I'm not interested in fighting you for the sake of it."

"Ho, that is a strange thing for you to say. It appears you have mellowed," Jurojin smiled. "Nevertheless, I am not giving up so easily." He took out his trademark fan and spoke a faint command that turned his walking stick into a normal sword. He then threw his fan into the air.

"Levitate, Ishikashira," Jurojin said. His Zanpakto changed into a shape similar to the crane he was holding, but with a scroll attached to its head. The fan morphed to a floating one-eyed head that hovered a few feet above Jurojin. Seeing the head brought back memories for Kensei, who shuddered to recollect them.

"What is that captain?" Hisagi asked.

"That is his personal beholder," Kensei replied. "He uses it to do all of his dirty work. Jurojin doesn't like to fight with his hands. Be on guard everyone. The beholder might have strange powers." The rest of his division crouched down and formed a tight circle around Kensei and Hisagi.

Jurojin appeared to be amused at their apparent attempt at military tactics."

"I wonder if you realized that grouping together makes you an easier target," Jurojin said. It took a few seconds for Kensei to register, but when he did, he knew he had made a huge mistake. _Shit, we've trapped ourselves!_ Jurojin ordered his floating head to fire. The A powerful yellow laser beam came out of the beholder's eye and moved along the ground. It headed straight for Kensei and Hisagi.

"Everyone, scatter quickly!" Kensei ordered. His entire division started running everywhere to avoid the beam. A few members failed to get clear in time and were literally sliced in half by the beam. Others avoided being killed instantly, but had their arms or legs severed.

"Captain, we should tell our troops to retreat back to the phoenix and lure this guy away," Hisagi said.

"Good idea," Kensei nodded. He called out to his men and ordered them to fall back to the phoenix. Then he charged at Jurojin, firing a giant wind blast at him. Before the blast could hit Jurojin, it was somehow diverted to the beholder. The Beholder was blown to pieces but within a few seconds it regenerated.

"Damnit, this isn't going to work," Kensei gritted his teeth. He and Hisagi tried to combo attack Jurojin, Kensei firing another wind blast from the rear and Hisagi slashing at Jurojin from the front.

"It's useless," Jurojin said. Kensei's wind blast rebounded off the beholder and hit him squarely in the chest. Hisagi's halberd hit an invisible barrier, causing him to be knocked back a dozen feet. The beholder then hit Hisagi with a powerful yellow blast, causing Hisagi to scream in agony.

"Shuhei!" Kensei shouted. He clutched his bleeding chest, and struggled to get onto his feet. "Looks like I have no choice but to resort to me trump card. Bankai!" He was instantly engulfed by a huge ball of red and blue reiatsu, expanding outwards to a radius of ten feet. Hisagi, who was lying on the ground bleeding from his left leg, gasped at the sight. Jurojin however, did not even flinch at the steadily increasing reiatsu. When the ball of spirit energy dissipated, Kensei was revealed again, looking completely different. His appearance had not changed, but he now had two enormous black cannons mounted upon his shoulders. They were connected to set of shoulder plates and two-inch thick breast plate that covered Kensei's torso. The two cannons differed in appearance. The right one contained nine small holes, whilst the left one contained only one. Running from the back of the cannons were cables that attached themselves to Kensei's hands, forming miniature triggers.

"This is my Bankai, Chikara Ametsuchi, Tachikaze," Kensei said. Jurojin finally changed his facial expression from one of indifference to bemusement.

"I'm impressed. This is the second time I've seen your Bankai in full," Jurojin said. "It looks quite different from the last time you used it. Have you altered it?"

"Of course. During my time in the real world I copied the innovations in weaponry that were being developed and added it to my own. My Bankai is a fusion of modern science and ancient magic. Want a demonstration?" Kensei pressed down on his left hand and fired a huge stream of molten lava from the left cannon. The lava disintegrated Jurojin's beholder and came close to scorching Jurojin himself. The Royal Guard jumped high into the air to avoid the lava. Kensei smirked and tilted the right cannon upwards. He then fired a barrage of missiles from the cannon. The missiles hit Jurojin squarely, causing a gigantic explosion. Jurojin plummeted to the ground and crash landed on his back. He struggled to climb up, most of his body having been burnt by the missiles.

"It seems I've underestimated your power, Muguruma," Jurojin panted, finally getting up. "My Shikai is no match for your Bankai, so I will have to match it with my own. Bankai!" The shattered fragments of his beholder reformed themselves and started sucking in huge amounts of spirit particles, causing a gale force wind to blow around Jurojin. Kensei and Hisagi struggled to stand up and squinted out of their eyes. They saw the ground in front of them literally rise up as both small and large rocks were fused together. Eventually all the pieces of stone formed into a towering fifteen foot tall golem, with big muscular arms and legs and the regenerated beholder for a head. Kensei and Hisagi stared at it in awe.

"This is my Bankai, Ishikashira Muteki Kyojin. This is the second time you've witnessed it, right, Muguruma?" Jurojin asked. Kensei didn't know what to say. "If I remember correctly, the first you saw it you passed out within a few seconds because of my spirit pressure. This time I will show you what my Bankai can do." Jurojin pointed his staff forward, commanding the golem to raise its fists. He then rapidly lowered the staff, causing the golem to throw a vicious punch directly at Kensei. Because of the weight of the cannons on his shoulder and his failure to react to the attack, Kensei couldn't dodge it in time. He received the full force of the punch and was blown away, landing some hundred yards back.

"Captain Kensei!" Hisagi tried to yell. The golem picked him up with its right fists and threw him towards Kensei. Hisagi landed violently on his shoulders and arms, bruising them badly. "Captain, are you alright?"

"Yeah," Kensei replied. He got up and Shunpo-ed back towards Jurojin again. He fired both cannons simultaneously, combining a barrage of missiles with a stream of lava. They hit the golem and blew away most of its body, leaving behind only stumps for legs. He froze in shock however, when the golem started regenerating and within seconds was back to normal. Jurojin chuckled.

"I thought you had a better grasp of battles than this Muguruma," Jurojin said. "My golem consists of more than ordinary rocks and stones. A strong spiritual core sustains it. As long as that core is still intact the golem can regenerate indefinitely." Jurojin pointed his staff outwards and did some motions with his left hand. With that the golem's eye shot out and hit Kensei in the chest. Kensei screamed in pain as a red beam pierced his right lung, narrowly missing his heart and soul chain. He fell onto his knees, blood pouring out of a gaping hole in his chest. _Shit, I can't staunch the bleeding_, Kensei thought.

"You have lost, Muguruma," Jurojin said. "Surrender now and I may save your life. Otherwise you will bleed to death within minutes. I could have easily destroyed your heart or your soul chain, but I chose to be merciful." Kensei was silent for nearly a whole minute. Then he started laughing.

"Why are you being so gentle with me, old man?" he asked. "This is a wartime battle, not a plain duel. You told me yourself not to give your opponents any second chances and now you've just given me mine!" With that, Kensei pulled out his mask. In an instant his reiatsu skyrocketed, and his surrounded by a sphere of red spiritual energy. His mask looked like a helmet with several rectangular slits and his hands were now covered with white metallic gloves. For the first time, Jurojin expressed fear and horror.

"What have you become? That looks like a hollow mask!" Jurojin exclaimed.

"Of course it is. A lot of things have happened in the century and a half since we last met," Kensei replied. His voice now a deep guttural tone. "I'm now a Vizard, a Shinigami who has stepped into the realm of the hollows." He gripped his right hand into a fist and fired an enormous cero from it. The red blast consumed the golem, utterly disintegrating it. Jurojin narrowly escaped being caught by the blast, but he failed to anticipate Kensei Shunpo-ing behind him. With a charged bala in his right fist, Kensei punched Jurojin hard in the park. Jurojin gasped, spewing out blood. Kensei then kicked him higher into the air before slamming him to the ground, creating a miniature crater. After descending to the ground, Kensei checked Jurojin's body and made sure he was still alive. He took a deep breath and used his hollow powers to close up the wound in his chest before he released his mask and Bankai, returning his Zanpakto to normal.

"Captain!" Hisagi shouted, crawling along the ground towards Kensei.

"You look pretty worse for wear Shuhei," Kensei smiled. "Let's get some rest." Kensei hauled Hisagi onto his back and started walking back to the phoenix.

The breakthrough had been made. With a loud shudder and then an almighty crash, the front gates of the palace walls was split in half and toppled over. The few dozen or so enemy soldiers who had been standing on the other side scampered for safety.

"We did it! We've broken through the gates!" Ichigo exclaimed. He, Rukia, Ishida, Sado and Renji all celebrated,

"Don't get too excited," Urahara reminded them. "We're nowhere near finished. Buckle up your seat belts again, because we're going to go a wild ride."

"What sort of wild ride?" Rukia and Ishida asked with scepticism. Urahara grinned and pressed a big red button on the control panel. All of a sudden the phoenix started to tilt upwards as the launch carriage it was on retracted outwards. Urahara then pulled another lever, causing two engines on the rear of the phoenix to power up.

"Whoa, wait a minute Urahara-san; aren't we going to wait for Love and Kensei's men?" Renji asked.

"Don't worry about them. They'll head back to base camp and get some treatment," Urahara replied. As soon as he said that the phoenix blasted off into the sky.

* * *

The gates have been breached and the phoenix soars in the sky! The Gotei 13's assault on the palace has truly begun!

Notes: This is the second of the chapters focusing on the fights between the captains and the Royal Guards. Again I took a lot of time planning both battles, thinking baout how they would flow, how each combatant would fight and most importantly, what each character's abilities would be. There are a lot of new Shikais and Bankais revealed here, so I will explain each one in detail.

Hiroko Ebisu: He's obviously based on the Japanese God Ebisu. However, the particular god's backstory and mythology didn't really suit the character design I had in mind, so I ditched it. I did keep the idea of him being the god of fishing which is reflected in his Zanpakto. His shikai, Asarimori, means fishing harpoon in Japanese, which is an apt name considering it resembles a modern-day harpoon gun. His Bankai, Asarimori, Mizu no Zetsumei, takes on a completely different form. Mizu no Zetsumei means waters of death in Japanese, so I thought it would be fitting to have his Bankai consist of piranhas and sharks, two of the most feared predators of the oceans.

Kurohyou, Yobidashi Yasei: This is Love's Bankai. Yobidashi Yasei means call of the wild in Japanese, which is a fitting extension of Love's panther theme. Like Rose's Bankai, Love has an area of effect Bankai that creates a miniature rainforest.

Jurojin Seishi: He is based on the Japanese God Jurojin. However, like Ebisu, I discarded most of the mythology and backstory based around the god. One problem was that Jurojin's background was far too similar to Fukurokuju's, including his appearance, motifs and history. Instead, I made a connection between him and Kensei, so that the two of them had a concrete reason to fight. His Shikai, Ishikashira, which means stone head, is based on the image of a beholder in western fantasy. His Bankai, Ishikashika, Muteki Kyojin (Invicible giant in Japanese), is based on the golem, which is another monster in western fantasy. In removing most traces of Jurojin's mythology, I envisaged him as a mage or a warlock who fights using summons.

Chikara Ametsuchi, Tachikaze: This is Kensei's Bankai, Chikara Ametsuchi means Force of Nature in Japanese. I initially imagined it to look like a magical cloud that could bring rain, wind and lightning but I decided that was too similar to a few other characters' Bankais. Making his Bankai two missile launchers strapped to his shoulder sounded much cooler although I admit it doesn't resembled anything like its name.


	33. Chapter 33: The Noble and the Demon

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Soul Society has invaded the King's Realm, triggering the Great Heavenly War. After laying siege to the Palace Walls, the Gotei 13 decided to unleash its secret weapon, a massive war engine built from the remnants of the Sokyoku and fashioned into the shape of a phoenix. As eight divisions boarded the phoenix, the remaining two divisions fended off attacks from the Royal Guards. Once the boarding was complete, the phoenix crashed into the front gates but failed to demolish them at once. Urahara then resorted to drilling through the gates with the phoenix's beak. Desperate to stop the gates being broken, two more Royal Guards attacked the phoenix in an effort to destroy it. They were countered by the seventh and ninth divisions in titanic battles in front of the palace walls. Using their Bankais and Vizard powers, Love and Kensei eventually triumphed over Ebisu and Jurojin, paving the way for the gates to broken. The phoenix is through the walls and has taken into the air...

* * *

Chapter 33: The Noble and the Demon

Ichigo was pushed right against his seat by the sheer velocity of the phoenix. Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Sado, Ryuken and Urahara were also buckling under the g-force. Within seconds the phoenix was already hundreds of metres above the ground and had penetrated the inner force field, due to the front gate being demolished. Ahead they could see the titanic Citadel of Heaven, rising more than a mile into a sky.

"There's the citadel," Urahara said. :"It's around fifteen miles away."

"Are we going to land this thing somewhere and assault the tower on foot?" Ichigo asked. Urahara shook his head.

"We would be losing the advantage this transport gives us."

"Then what is our strategy going to be?" Renji asked.

"First, Byakuya and Kenpachi's divisions will parachute to the ground and secure the outer perimeter of the city. Then, we shall fly to the rear of the citadel and drop Hitsugaya's division in order for them to infiltrate the underground tunnels. Then we shall circle back around the citadel and Isshin's division will land by the moat and try to lower the drawbridge. Finally, the rest of us will fly the phoenix directly into the citadel entrance." Upon hearing the last sentence, everyone else gulped.

"Wait, are we going to crash the citadel whilst we're still inside? That's crazy!" Ishida exclaimed. "Won't we all die?" Urahara grinned.

"Don't worry, there's a safety mechanism built in the phoenix's head to ensure that the occupants don't sustain any damage."

"Okay, we'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now," Rukia muttered. Her sentiment reflected the mood everyone except Urahara was in right now. Urahara still acted as cheerful as ever. He spoke into the microphone.

"Divisions six and eleven, we are in position," Urahara's voice reverberated throughout the haul of the phoenix. "Please head towards the rear tail entrance and prepare to disembark. You are to secure the outer city."

"That is our signal," Byakuya said. He motioned to Nanao who nodded.

"The division is ready," Nanao said. Byakuya stood at the rear entrance of the phoenix as the ramp lowered. As soon as the ramp finished lowering, Byakuya jumped out of the phoenix, followed swiftly by Nanao and the rest of his men.

"Look Ken-chan, Noble-chan and his men have jumped out already!" Yachiru exclaimed.

"They have?" Kenpachi asked. "Damn it, we can't let them beat us to the chase. Let's go men!" He jumped out of the phoenix like a raging bull.

"We're coming too captain!" Ikakku and Yumichika shouted. They jumped out of the phoenix and so did the other two hundred members of the eleventh division.

* * *

"What's that?" a Bakemono elite guard asked Daikoku and Bishamon. The two of them looked up at the sky and saw the giant red phoenix fly past them.

"Quick, shoot down that construct!" Bishamon ordered. Dozens of Tengu and Akuma soldiers fired Byakurai and Shakaho blasts at the phoenix. Most of them fell short or missed completely. The few that hit failed to even dent it.

"Forget about that thing, we've got bigger problems to deal with," Daikoku nudged Bishamon's shoulder. He pointed to the huge mass of Shinigami that had dropped out of the sky.

"Crap!" Bishamon swore. "Daikoku, let's split up and take them out one at a time!" Daikoku nodded. The two Royal Guards led their respective squads to the predicted drop point.

* * *

Byakuya landed in the middle of an enormous garden, with terraced buildings on all four sides and a large fountain in the middle. Nanao landed a second later, followed by the rest of his men. Byakuya scanned the area and detected no spiritual pressures.

"Let's move out," he ordered. Using a delta-shape formation, the sixth division crossed the garden. Byakuya was about to order his men to spread out into the numerous side streets that branched from the garden when a huge mass of enemy troops Shunpo-ed in front of him. Byakuya froze in his tracks and unsheathed his sword. An old man with long white hair and beard stood in front of him, sword drawn. He was dressed in a plain Shishakusho and what appeared to be a white haori. A white scarf of similar appearance to Byakuya's hung around his neck and his hair was adored with a set of white hair clips. The hundred or so soldiers the man was leading were of no threat, but Byakuya couldn't shake off a foreboding feeling when he stared at him.

"Who are you?" he asked. "Are you a Royal Guard?"

"Do I need to even answer that?" the man replied. "Such a simple question. As a captain of the Gotei 13, you should know better. I can tell from your appearance that you are a whelp of the Kuchiki family." Byakuya's heart raced for a second.

"I, I am Kuchiki Byakuya, Captain of the 6th division," he uncharacteristically stuttered. The old man started laughing.

"Byakuya eh? That's a very nice name," he said. "Who gave it to you, your father?"

"My grandfather. His name was Kuchiki Ginrei," Byakuya replied.

"So, Gin gave you that name," the old man pondered. "Is he still alive?" Byakuya shook his head. "It's a pity. That my little brother would pass away before I did."

"What did you say?" Byakuya asked in shock. The words _little brother_ being referenced to his grandfather was unsettling.

"You wouldn't know would you," the old man sighed. "How low has the clan fallen. I am Ginrei's older brother, Kuchiki Daikoku." Byakuya was froze in shock. _It can't be! The legendary Kuchiki Daikoku, the greatest head of our clan! How can he be alive?_

"I can tell by your look that you're amazed to see me," Daikoku said. "You must be wondering how I could be alive. The simple answer is, living here in the King's realm has lengthened my life span by a fair amount."

"Captain, what are we going to do?" Nanao whispered in Byakuya's ear.

"Engage the Tengu and try to wipe them out. Then get as far away from here as possible. Only I can handle him," Byakuya replied. Nanao nodded and called out to the rest of the sixth division. Ginrei was amused by her efforts.

"Your vice captain is quite spirited," he said. "Very well then, I shall plan along with your game. Tengu, attack the Shinigami!" En masse, the hundred or so soldiers behind him rushed forward to attack Nanao and the sixth division. To prevent Daikoku from attacking Nanao, Byakuya Shunpo-ed in front of his grand uncle and slashed at him. Daikoku effortlessly blocked it with his sword.

"Hmm, your Shunpo is quite good," Daikoku commented. "Let's see how well you've been trained in the Kuchiki fighting style!" Byakuya and Daikoku simultaneously Shunpo-ed away. They re-appeared in the middle of the garden some five hundred yards away, with their backs to each other. In an almost synchronised fashion they both turned around thrust their swords outwards in an attempt to stab each other's soul chain. Their blades met in a clash of sparks before they both jumped back. Byakuya started Shunpo-ing across the garden in a random pattern; Daikoku did the same. They shifted to and fro, trying to find a weakness in the other's defence. Byakuya jumped into the air and was immediately met by Daikoku's sword. They exchanged a furious succession of blows, each one causing ripples of spiritual pressure. Byakuya tried Shunpo-ing behind Daikoku again, but Daikoku easily sensed his movement and blocked Byakuya's attempted stab. Their swords were locked together, generating huge amounts of sparks. Eventually, their blades gave away and both of them were cut in the left cheek. They stared at each other high above the ground. Byakuya was panting heavily, but he saw that Daikoku was hardly phased.

"Your movements were flawless, but your stamina leaves much to be desired," Daikoku said. "I am surprised at your reflexes. They are almost as good as mine. Surely Ginrei didn't teach you those moves."

"Not quite," Byakuya replied. "Grandpa taught me the basics, but I refined my techniques under the tutelage of the current head of the Shihouin family."

"Oh, _that_ family. They have always been known for their superb Hohou and Hakuda. So that's where you got your moves from."

"I don't have time to talk with you, granduncle," Byakuya said raised his Zanpakto and placed it right against his chest. "Scatter, Senbonzakura." His Zanpakto disintegrated into thousands of pink metallic blades. Byakuya directed the blades to fly at Daikoku, who seemed quite amused.

"So that is your Shikai," Daikoku said. "It looks too flashy to be functional. Let me show you how a real Shikai is done. Impound, Nokozuchi." His Zanpakto transformed into a shimmering golden hammer, some four foot in length. The hammer was not solid, but rather made out of thousands of golden pieces linked together by spiritual energy. As Byakuya's petals surrounded Daikoku, the Royal Guard swung his hammer in a circular arc. As he did so, the hammer lengthened and twisted as it smashed all of the petals away. Byakuya hastily reassembled his sword again just as Daikoku Shunpo-ed in front of him. Before Byakuya could get into a defensive stance, Daikoku swung his hammer right into his stomach. Byakuya gasped, coughing up blood from his mouth as he buckled from the force of the swing. Daikoku swung a second time, hitting Byakuya squarely in the head, sending him crashing to the ground. The impact created a large crater.

"How disappointing," Daikoku said as he dropped to the ground and walked towards the fallen Byakuya. "I thought you could put up a tougher challenge." Byakuya looked up and saw Daikoku raise his hammer above his head.

"Captain!" Nanao shouted. The sixth division members had easily accounted for the Tengu soldiers and now she was running back to aide Byakuya.

"Wait, Nanao, stay back!" Byakuya shouted. Nanao unsheathed her sword and charged at Daikoku. The Royal Guard did not hesitate to swing his hammer and hit Nanao straight in the waist. Nanao screamed as she was blown back. She landed in a crumpled head some distance away. Seeing his beloved vice captain fallen snapped something inside Byakuya's mind. The emotional restraints that had been holding him back from were suddenly lifted. He got up and Shunpo-ed some distance away just as Daikoku turned his head.

"This is a surprise," Daikoku chuckled. "I thought you were finished."

"I was playing possum," Byakuya confidently lied. "What you did to my beloved Nanao was unforgivable. I shall show you no mercy, grand uncle!" He dropped his Zanpakto directly into the ground. As the sword disappeared, it created ripples on the surface of the ground. From these ripples a thousand swords rose from the ground, each one taller than Byakuya himself. "Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" In an instant the swords disintegrated, creating millions upon millions of blades. Byakuya controlled the swarm of blades with his hand and directed them at Daikoku. The Royal Guard tried to evade the swarm, but Byakuya tightened the pressure with every swing.

"It's useless to escape," Byakuya said. Within seconds, he had completely encircled Daikoku with his Bankai. Daikoku screamed as he was engulfed by the swarm of petals. Byakuya maintained the attack for a whole minute before he allowed the blades to drop back to the ground. To his surprise, Daikoku was not critically injured. He had suffered numerous cuts all over his body, causing blood to drip out of his wounds, but otherwise he was still standing.

"Impressive," Daikoku said. He descended to the ground. "You almost caught me off guard. Now I shall show you my Bankai." He let go of his hammer and allowed it to drop to the ground. It shattered into thousands of gold pieces. Somehow these pieces of gold started to melt into liquid. The individual droplets of gold combined together to form a three foot wide puddle of gold on the ground. "Bankai, Uchide Nokozuchi." All of a sudden the puddle of gold transformed into a literal tidal wave of gold. Daikoku directed the tidal wave of gold to encircle Byakuya, who hastily surrounded himself with his Bankai.

"Gokei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!" Byakuya shouted. In a split second decision, he encased himself in a sphere of blades, just as the tidal wave of gold fell upon him.

"Seiren," Daikoku said. The liquid gold completely covered Byakuya's sphere and hardened into solid metal within seconds. Daikoku maintained the gold sphere for a few seconds, thinking he had succeeded in encasing his enemy in gold. To his amazement, the sphere started to buckle and crack, as if it was bulging from the inside. Then with a powerful explosion, Byakuya burst apart the gold sphere with his Bankai. Droplets of liquid gold fell upon the nearby buildings, whilst the fountain was utterly demolished by the swarm of petals. Byakuya gasped for breath as he descended to the ground. Though his Gokei had saved his life, it had also cut him in several places.

"You're beginning to annoy me, little brat," Daikoku muttered as droplets of gold trickled down his legs. "This is the second time that someone has managed to escape my Seiren."

"I feel honoured," Byakuya grinned. He remembered saying a similar sort of thing way back when he fought Ichigo. The irony of the remark was not lost on him.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Daikoku said. "No one has succeeded in breaking out of my Bankai's second form, Kinjitou no Kogane, Uchide Nokozuchi!" The scattered droplets of gold expanded, consuming all of the surrounding buildings. Byakuya stared in awe as the entire garden area was encompassed by the interior of a truly gargantuan building. From the outside, it resembled a Mayan pyramid, with five different layers. The exterior and interior surfaces of the period were covered with pure gold. Lining the rows of the interior were thousands of golden statues, each one holding a three foot long sword.

"Are you impressed, Byakuya-chan?" Daikoku asked. "This will be the scene of your demise." Byakuya couldn't help it both laugh.

"If you want to set a scene then I'll be glad to help you. Senkei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," he said. The swarm of petals lying on the ground rose high into the air and transformed into a thousand pink blades, arranged in four circular rows high above both Byakuya and Daikoku. Daikoku raised his hand, causing one of the statues to drop its sword. Byakuya did the same, causing one of the levitating pink swords to fall down. Both of them stared at each other, holding swords that comprised a portion of their Bankais. A second later they started clashing in mid-air, furiously slashing at each other. As they traded blow for blow, Daikoku mentally activated arrows to shoot out of trap holes along the sides of the pyramid. Some of these scratched Byakuya's cheek and sides, causing him to grunt in pain. In retaliation, Byakuya flipped up two hundred or so blades and commanded them to chase after Daikoku.

"Bakudou 61, Rikujokorou!" Daikoku shouted, pointing his left finger at Byakuya. Six golden rods of light surrounded Byakuya's waist, immobilizing him. Byakuya's arms were still free however and he pointed his left finger at Daikoku.

"Bakudou 63, Sajo Sabaku!" Byakuya shouted. All of a Daikoku's arms were constricted by a golden rope, making him unable to swing his sword. Byakuya parried the arrows that were coming out of the walls, as he directed his swords to surround and impale Daikoku. The Royal Guard screamed as his entire body was pierced by the blades. Byakuya broke out of the Rikujokorou, whilst simultaneously loosening the Sajo Sabaku around Daikoku's arms. He quickly Shunpo-ed to the ground to catch an unconscious Daikoku in his arms. A few seconds later the golden pyramid vanished as Daikoku's Zanpakto returned to its sealed state. Byakuya laid his grand uncle on the ground as he returned his Zanpakto to normal.

"Captain!" the sixth division third seat Rikichi shouted. "Are you alright?" Byakuya nodded, despite having suffered cuts and bruises all over his body. He and Rikichi walked over to Nanao. Byakuya held her in his arms.

"Wake up Nanao, speak to me!" Byakuya whispered. He held his breath as Nanao's body started twitching. She eventually opened her eyes and was surprised to see Byakuya crouched over her.

"I'm sorry captain," Nanao started crying. "I couldn't do anything to help you!" Byakuya hugged her tightly and kissed her on the forehead.

"Don't worry. You did your best," he said. He carried Nanao up as the rest of his men gathered around him.

* * *

Kenpachi stormed through alleyways surrounding the residential complexes, cutting through swathes of hapless Akuma, Tengu and Bakemono soldiers. Yachiru cheered him on as she rode upon her shoulder, whilst Ikkaku and Yumichika struggled to keep up with their captain. The rest of the eleventh division was almost five body lengths behind.

"Wait up captain, you're going too fast!" Ikkaku called out.

"Huh? Who said I was going first? You guys are just too slow!" Kenpachi barked back. Rather than make his men angry, it simply spurred them to run even faster to catch up and have their share of the kills. Ikkaku and Yumichika had almost caught up to their captain when Kenpachi suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. In front of him was a heavily armoured samurai warrior. He wore a red helmet embossed with a dragon crest, covering what appeared to be shaggy black hair. His chest plate was bright red and shaped like a gruesome skull. His face was yellow in colour and his eyes glowed an eerie black. Kenpachi wondered who he was.

"Who are you?" he asked the stranger.

"I am Tamonten Bishamon, a Guardian of the King," the warrior replied. "Let me ask you the same question? Who are you, captain of the Gotei 13?"

"Me? I am Zaraki Kenpachi, captain of the eleventh division, Soul Society's strongest fighting force!" Kenpachi exclaimed with glee.

"Oh, the eleventh division. I should have known from your ragged attire. You're another one of those Kenpachis. How many has there been, ten, eleven? I can remember working with the Eighth Kenpachi. A brutally efficient warrior but an absolute failure as a person," Bishamon shook his head.

"The eighth Kenpachi? I remember fighting him. He called himself Hachiman."

"That was his name. His majesty sent him down to guard Soul Society. I wonder what happened to him."

"He's dead. He and I fought in battle and he refused to concede, forcing me to kill him," Kenpachi grinned. Bishamon sighed deeply.

"What a shame. He was always charging into battles with reckless abandon. I on the other hand, don't make the same mistake. The truth is, I have been waiting for you. You and your men have walked into my trap." As soon as Bishamon finished speaking, nearly two hundred Bakemono elite guards jumped out of the nearby alleyways and pounced upon the members of the eleventh division. Over two dozen eleventh division Shinigami were killed before they even drew their swords. The rest huddled into a circle, desperately trying to fend off the attacks.

"Quit, turtling!" Kenpachi yelled. "Offence is the best form of defence, just attack as hard as you can!" He swung his sword in insane arcs, decapitating scores of enemy soldiers. Ikkaku and Yumichika were killing just as many. Seeing his finest soldiers get slaughtered, Bishamon couldn't stand waiting on the sidelines. He unsheathed his sword and charged into the fray. In three slashes, more than twenty of Kenpachi's men were killed. Kenpachi quickly blocked Bishamon's sword with his own, stopping from killing any more of his men.

"Ikkaku, Yumichika, try to take the enemy soldiers some place else. I will personally deal with his guy," Kenpachi ordered. Ikkaku and Yumichika nodded.

"What about me, Ken-chan?" Yachiru asked.

"You should go as well." Yachiru nodded and hopped off Kenpachi's shoulder. Bishamon was somewhat amused by Kenpachi's orders.  
"I didn't think you would send your own troops away. Are you more concerned with their lives than yours?" Bishamon asked.

"Of course. I live for battles," Kenpachi replied. "I don't care if I die, as long as I get to fight someone strong. However, my men don't always share the same fighting spirit as me, so I have to be more careful when fighting around them."

"That makes some sense. You hold back your strength were you are with your nakama," Bishamon said. "That is a foolish strategy however. One should not be worried with the lives of his subordinates as long as the objectives are completed. I will gladly sacrifice all of my men if it allows me to kill my enemies. Since you cleverly lured them away, I guess I'll have to kill you myself."

"Bring it on. I've been waiting for this," Kenpachi licked his lips. He and Bishamon readied their swords and faced each other in the middle of a wide open street, with ten storey buildings on both sides. A second later, they charged at each other, both howling fierce battle cries. Kenpachi sliced at Bishamon's torso; Bishamon aimed for Kenpachi's neck. They clashed swords, causing a huge shockwave to ripple across the street. After locking blades for nearly a minute, Bishamon broke the standoff by jumping up and knocked Kenpachi's sword to the ground. He kicked Kenpachi hard in the face, before Shunpo-ing behind him and slashing Kenpachi in the back. Kenpachi fell onto his hands and knees, rolling along the ground. He got up and caught Bishamon's sword thrust with his left hand. Then with his right hand, he thrust outwards, slicing deep across Bishamon's cheek. They parted swords and stood facing each other again. Kenpachi looked at his left hand and noticed it had been cut along the middle.

"I don't believe this," he said. "You're matching me blow for blow. No, you're even better than me right now. I can't believe I'm forced to remove my eye patch so early." He took off his eye patch and threw it away. In an instant his spiritual pressure skyrocketed, causing the entire ground to shudder and the nearby buildings to crumble. His body was surrounded by a column of yellow reiatsu.

"What is this? Your spiritual pressure has risen dramatically!" Bishamon exclaimed. "You haven't even released your sword yet."

"Of course I haven't. I suck at controlling my reiatsu, so I deliberately limit myself to a fraction of my overall spiritual pressure whenever I fight in order to give my opponents a chance," Kenpachi explained. "But, I assume someone like you won't need it." Before Bishamon could raise his sword to block, Kenpachi Shunpo-ed right in from of him and slashed hard across his chest. Kenpachi's pierced through Bishamon's armour, causing a huge amount of blood to spur out. Bishamon hastily jumped back and panted heavily, clutching his chest in pain.

"I see. This is your true spiritual pressure. No wonder I was caught by surprise," Bishamon said. "But it's nothing compared to my released Zanpakto. Guard, Vaishravana!" His Zanpakto changed shape, becoming a five foot long golden spear, with a red ribbon wrapped around the spearhead. Apart from the spear, Bishamon also summoned a small pagoda that floated alongside him. Kenpachi was delighted at seeing his release.

"Nice! I can't wait to test my skills against your Shikai!" he exclaimed.

"Your wish is granted," Bishamon spoke emotionlessly. He charged at Kenpachi and thrust his spear forward. Kenpachi parried it away and thrust at Bishamon's face. The pagoda suddenly floated in front of Bishamon and blocked Kenpachi's sword. Kenpachi pulled back and tried slashing downwards at Bishamon, but again the pagoda blocked his attack. The pagoda then transformed, popping out miniature cannons on all four sides. From one of the cannons a stream of fire came out, burning Kenpachi's face and torso. It was followed by a blast of water, knocking Kenpachi backwards. Finally the pagoda shot out a spark of lightning, causing Kenpachi to grimace as his body was electrocuted. He fell onto his knees, trying to recover his breath.

"Crap, I didn't expect your Zanpakto to be this annoying," Kenpachi sighed. "I can't believe I'm forced to use it so early on, but I've got no choice but to resort to it…my Kendo." He got up on his feet and placed both hands upon his sword.

"What, you call that Kendo?" Bishamon started to laugh. "Don't give me that shit. Kendo is about more than just using two hands. It's a fighting style involving balance rhythm and precision, and the way I see it you lack all free." Kenpachi grinned.

"Let's just see shall we?" He raised his sword high above his head and slashed down at Bishamon. Bishamon hastily placed his pagoda in front of him to block but to his amazement Kenpachi easily slashed the pagoda in half. His sword proceeded to tear through Bishamon's armour, slicing a deep cut right down his torso, causing gallons of blood to spurt out. Bishamon fell onto his knees and panted heavily.

"I don't believe this. My indestructible pagoda, destroyed in one slash," Bishamon gasped. "Your Kendo is more powerful than I ever imagined. Never in all of the battles I've fought in my life have I faced an opponent as tenacious as you. Now, you will face the wrath my true power. Bankai!"

He stood up just as his spear shattered into a million pieces. They gathered around him, forming an immense spiritual aura that sent shockwaves strong enough to demolish all nearby buildings. The reiatsu Bishamon emitted was so strong that even Kenpachi himself was surprised by it. For a brief moment, his eyes were blinded by an obscuring light. When it cleared, he found himself facing a colossus. Bishamon had completely transformed himself. The pieces of his Zanpakto fused with his body, covering him head to toe in nearly indestructible golden armour. His two hands were now like gauntlets and his face was obscured by a demon-like mask.

"What do you think, Zaraki Kenpachi? This is my Bankai, Vaishravana Tenrai Hogosha," Bishamon said. Kenpachi recovered from his brief moment of shock and started laughing.

"This is awesome! Finally I get to fight a worthy foe! Bring it on! Show me what you've got!" Kenpachi shouted. "I can handle it all!" He charged at Bishamon, eyes lighting up for the kill. He jumped into the air and slashed hard at Bishamon's neck. The impact created another giant shockwave that reduced the surrounding buildings to rubble in a flash. To Kenpachi's shock, his blade didn't even cause a scratch on Bishamon's armour. Kenpachi's arms froze up. _Impossible, I attacked with everything I had_.

"So, this is the final extent of your power," Bishamon quipped. "Not very impressive." He pointed his right hand at Kenpachi's face and fired an incredible blast of radiant energy. The blast streaked across the outer city, carving out a mile long trench. When the dust cleared Kenpachi was lying on his back a dozen feet away. His shirt and haori had been completely burnt off and his entire body was nearly scorched beyond belief. Bishamon walked towards him, disappointed that the battle was over so quickly.

"Ken-chan!" a tiny girl's voice shouted in the distance. Yachiru had ran as fast she could as soon as she sensed her captain's spirit pressure drop dramatically. She Shunpo-ed beside him and desperately tried to wake him up.

"No, Ken-chan," Yachiru started crying. "Please don't die." She looked up at Bishamon and glared. "You big meanie, you hurt Ken-chan! I won't forgive you. Get them, Gekidoutora!" She pulled out her sword from her scabbard and instantly turned it into three sharp blades that were attached to her right hand. She charged at Bishamon and slashed at his chest. To Bishamon's surprise, Yachiru succeeded in cutting through his armour. The cut was not deep enough to wound him however, and Bishamon proceeded to punch Yachiru hard in the face. She was sent crashing into a building, causing it to collapse in on itself. Ikkaku and Yumichika, who were running closely behind Yachiru, saw the entire shocking scene.

"No, vice captain!" Ikkaku shouted.

"The captain's down as well!" Yumichika exclaimed. They stopped beside Kenpachi and drew out their swords. Bishamon was amused at their appearance.

"More ants have arrived to protect their king," Bishamon said. "You eleventh division folk are certainly loyal." Ikkaku released into his Shikai without a chant, and likewise Yumichika changed his sword into his first Shikai form. They attacked simultaneously, slashing at Bishamon's shoulders. Neither of them scored any damage.

"What shall we do Ikkaku? The Captain's down and so is Yachiru-chan," Yumichika asked. Ikkaku gnashed his teeth.

"There's no helping it. I'll have to go all out. Hopefully the captain won't know. Bankai!" Ikkaku shouted. A thick spiritual aura surrounded his body for a few seconds. When it cleared, Ikkaku was holding his trademark monk spade and guan dao. Without bothering to power-up Ikkaku leaped into the air and brought his front two weapons down upon Bishamon's head. To his astonishment, Bishamon wasn't even scratched.

"Pathetic," Bishamon said. He smashed Ikkaku's Bankai apart and blasted him in the same way he had blasted Kenpachi. Ikkaku fell unconscious beside Yumichika. _Oh shit, what am I going to do? I can't reveal my true power in front of the captain! But if I don't I'll die!_ Yumichika thought. Before he was forced to make a tough decision, Kenpachi suddenly stood up again. What was more, his spiritual pressure skyrocketed, blasting the surrounding area with an immense shockwave. The force of the reiatsu was so strong that Bishamon was blown backwards and fell onto his back. He got up again and gasped. Kenpachi was now holding a gigantic five foot long chain sword in his right hand.

"Impossible! You were on the verge of death!" Bishamon exclaimed.

"Indeed I was," Kenpachi replied. "As I was on the verge of death, I was somehow pulled into my inner world for the first time. It was there that I had a chat with my Zanpakto, whom I long neglected and refused to speak to. He was angry at me for ignoring me all this time, but apparently he accepted my apologies. I finally understand why you should work with your Zanpakto. You effectively have a partner you can rely on when things get tough. This is my partner, Kimera." The blades on his chain sword started revolving at an incredibly fast speed. Bishamon raised his defences and prepared himself. Kenpachi held the chain sword in both hands and slashed downwards. In an instant the chain sword sliced through his impenetrable armour like butter, cutting him nearly in half. Bishamon literally exploded with blood as he collapsed to the ground, his Zanpakto returning to its sealed state, shattered into a dozen pieces. Kenpachi turned off his chain sword and checked Bishamon's body. He was still alive, although barely.

"Captain, you're alright!" Yumichika exclaimed.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Kenpachi said. Ikkaku, who had only been knocked out, struggled to his feet. His eyes widened when he saw Kenpachi's chain sword.

"Captain, what's with your Zanpakto? It looks totally different," he said.

"Seems I finally managed to find out the name of the sword," Kenpachi replied. He suddenly panicked. "Where's Yachiru? She should be here."

"Oh shit we forgot!" Ikkaku and Yumichika exclaimed. They scrambled through the rubble, lifting pieces of stone away. A few minutes later Ikkaku lifted a worn out Yachiru from under a slab of concrete. Yachiru opened her eyes and saw a battered Kenpachi standing in front of her.

"Ken-chan!" Yachiru screamed happily. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

"I'm glad as well, Yachiru-chan," Kenpachi smiled. The rest of his division had finally managed to catch up and they all gathered around their captain, battle-worn but happy to be alive.

* * *

Notes: This is by far the longest chapter in the entire story. I was surprised at how long it was. When I initially planned out this chapter, I didn't imagine the fight scenes would drag on for so long, but that's probably due to the complexity of the fight sequences I envisaged. Even then, neither of the two fights turned out exactly how I planned them. Still, there's plenty of surprises that have occured in this chapter.

Kuchiki Daikoku: This is the biggest revelation of the chapter. I needed to give Daikoku a stronger connection to Byakuya other than being a Royal Guard, since the god Daikoku is based on wasn't very interesting. Making Daikoku Byakuya's grand uncle opens a plethora of potential backstory material. In any case, Daikoku's Shikai, Nokozuchi, is based on the mallet that the actual Japanese god is often portrayed carrying. Given the god's relation to wealth and money, I thought it was fitting to have the mallet to be made out of gold. Daikoku's Bankai, Uchide Nokozuchi (Magic money mallet) takes the gold trend even further, giving him control over pure liquid gold. He also has a second stage to his Bankai, Kinjitou no Kigane(Pyramid of Gold) and a special attack, Seiren (smelting) that both mirror Byakuya's Bankai abilities, so that I can give an impression that the two of them have similar fighting styles.

Tamonten Bishamon: The god Bishamon is based on is far more interesting. His mythological background allowed me to fashion him as a calculating fighter to contrast Kenpachi's berserker style. His Shikai, Vaishravana, is actually his original buddhist name. It incorporates the symbols he is portrayed as holding, namely a spear and a pagoda. His bankai, Vaishravana Tenra Hogosha (divine protector), is an extension of his image as a guardian and an armoured warrior.

Gekidoutora: This is Yachiru's Shikai. Its name means Roaring Tiger in Japanese. Readers may be surprised by this, but I decided it was time to show how strong Yachiru is by depicting her in an actual fight. It may look weak, but considering Kenpachi's kendo is unable to break through Bishamon's Bankai, her Shikai is actually quite powerful.

Kimera: This is Kenpachi's true Shikai. It is based on the mythological creature Chimera. I had a lot of trouble depicting Kenpachi's actual Zanpakto release, both in its appearance and powers and how he managed to achieve. Unfortunately I ran out of space to do it justice, so hopefully this is something I can rectify in a sequel.

Finally, I was considering having Yumichika show his true Shikai against Bishamon, but since I ran out of space I decided against it. Besides, it would have been hard to justify him using it, considering the latest manga chapter.


	34. Chapter 34: Last Stand of the Fox

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach ****Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Soul Society has invaded the King's Realm, triggering the Great Heavenly War. After laying siege to the city, the Gotei 13 boarded a gigantic war machine shaped in the form of a phoenix. Two divisions defended the phoenix from attacks by Royal Guards as it was being boarded. The phoenix reached the gates of the palace and breached it, after the 7th and 9th divisions protected it from Royal Guards intent on destroying it. As the gates came down, the phoenix took flight, soaring over the palace walls. Two divisions, the 6th and the 11th, dropped down from the phoenix, charged with eliminating any enemy forces nested in the streets of the outer city. Byakuya encountered his grand uncle, the legendary Kuchiki Daikoku, and in a titanic duel, bested him with his skills. Kenpachi faced off against the esteemed strategise Bishamon. Kenpachi found himself totally outmatched when Bishamon released his Bankai. Attempts by Yachiru and Ikkaku to help him ended in failure, before Kenpachi discovered the true name of his Zanpakto and fully released his Shikai, defeating Bishamon with a single blow...

* * *

Chapter 34: Last Stand of the Fox

The phoenix closed in on the Citadel of Heaven. After evading the ground based missile defences, Urahara guided the gigantic flying machine within a few hundred yards of the gargantuan fortress. From this distance, the tower loomed larger than Ichigo or his friends had envisaged. Despite being nearly a mile above the ground, they could barely see the top of the tower.

"What do we do now?" Ichigo asked.

"We're going to fly around the back of the citadel and drop down Hitsugaya's division," Urahara replied. "They will try to infiltrate the underground tunnels."

"Won't the Royal Guards suspect such a move?" Renji asked.

"They would, but hopefully the phoenix itself will provide a big enough distraction for them to concentrate most of their forces at the front."

"You mean we're going to be the targets of attacks?" Rukia rolled her eyes. As the phoenix veered to the left skirted around the sides of the citadel, hidden missiles shout out of the citadel and slammed into the hull of the machine, causing the occupants inside to stumble and roll. Urahara desperately tried to stabilise the phoenix and prevent it from crashing into the citadel.

"Urahara, we've taken damage to the hull, you've got to pull back!" Isshin's voice rang out of the speaker.

"Don't worry, this bird will survive. We're closing in on the underground tunnel entrance. Tell Hitsugaya's team to get ready," Urahara spoke into the microphone.

"Roger that," Isshin replied.

* * *

Down in the hull, Hitsugaya ordered his men to fall into position, lining up in twenty rows of ten members each.

"Is everyone ready?" Hitsugaya asked.

"I think we are," Hinamori replied. They waited for the rear of the phoenix to open up again. Once the tail ramp had fully lowered, Hitsugaya took a running start and jumped out of the phoenix, followed by Matsumoto, Hinamori and the rest of the tenth division. They fell towards the ground at a frightening speed, as Hitsugaya's division manoeuvred towards the area just south of the underground tunnel entrance. Once they got within a hundred yards above the ground, Hitsugaya and his men gathered spirit particles below their feet until they slowed down enough to touch the ground firmly.

"Alright, time for a group inspection," Hitsugaya called out. "Has everyone landed safely?" All two hundred members of his division nodded.

"Captain, are we going to head straight for the underground tunnel?" Matsumoto asked. Hitsugaya shook his head.

"There may be enemies guarding it. We shall skirt around the entrance and suss out the location of the defenders before we move in." Hitsugaya ordered his men to walk single file, sticking close to the cliffs and advancing slowly. As they advanced along the ridge surrounding the underground entrance, Hitsugaya heard the chatter of soldiers on the other side; a sign that the entrance was guarded. He gave hand signals to Matsumoto and Hinamori, telling them to draw out their swords.

Just as Hitsugaya was about to round the other side of the ridge, he heard screams coming from the back. He turned around and was aghast in shock. Nearly a dozen of his men had been decapitated, almost in a straight line. He, Matsumoto and Hinamori looked around for the source of the attacker.

"My, my, I can't believe you let your rear unguarded," a voice, painfully familiar to all three of them, spoke. They turned around and saw him. The silvery hair, the fox-faced eyes and the ghastly leer were unmistakable.

"Ichimaru!" Hitsugaya shouted. He gritted his teeth in anger. Matsumoto and Hinamori both started to feel tense and uneasy.

"Good to see you again, Captain Hitsugaya," Ichimaru grinned. "It's been a long time since we last met." He walked towards Hitsugaya and noticed Matsumoto and Hinamori's faces. "This is a surprise. You brought along Rangiku and Momo. I am very happy to see them again." Hitsugaya quickly moved in front of Ichimaru.

"Don't you dare harm Matsumoto or Hinamori!" he shouted.

"Why would I ever do that?" Ichimaru asked in a phony voice. Hitsugaya did not buy it. He turned around and looked at Hinamori.

"Hinamori, take the rest of our men and attack the soldiers guarding the entrance. Matsumoto and I will join you, just after we deal with Ichimaru," he ordered.

"Okay," Hinamori nodded. "Please tell me you'll be okay."

"I will." Hitsugaya listened to Hinamori's footsteps as she led the tenth division towards the entrance of the underground tunnel.

"Now this is a surprise," Ichimaru smiled. "I didn't think you let poor Momo-chan on her own, entrusting her with such a difficult task."

"Shut up!" Hitsugaya shouted. "Hinamori is strong enough to take care of herself. I trust her completely, as she trusts me."

"I wonder what happened to Momo-chan. She was so devoted to her Captain Aizen, even after she was betrayed," Ichimaru pondered. "It was really touching."

"Ichimaru…you have some nerve to say that." Hitsugaya remembered what happened four years ago…

_"Captain!" Matsumoto yelled as she saw Hitsugaya's Bankai shatter into a thousand pieces. Ichimaru's blade had pierced his left shoulder, narrowly missing his vital organs. When he withdrew the sword, blood spurted out of the wound. _

_"I advise you to surrender," Ichimaru said to Hitsugaya. "You're clearly not in a condition to fight." _

_"Shut up!" Hitsugaya spat at Ichimaru. "I'll defeat you by whatever means necessary!" _

_"What a waste," Ichimaru sighed. He prepared to deal the final blow. Just as the sword was about to come down. Matsumoto Shunpo-ed in front of her captain and blocked it. The force of the attack was strong enough to break her sword in half. Ichimaru and Hitsugaya both froze. _

_"What are you doing Matsumoto?" Hitsugaya asked._

_"I'm saving your life, captain," Matsumoto replied. "I know Gin. He won't hurt me."_

_"True. I have no wish to kill you, Rangiku," Ichimaru sheathed his sword. "I'll leave you to take care of your captain. Try not to make a rash decision of coming after me again." With that, Ichimaru disappeared…_

Hitsugaya opened his eyes again and stared at Ichimaru, whose sword was still sheathed. He noticed Matsumoto was trembling all over.

"It's okay Matsumoto. This time we fight him together," Hitsugaya said. "It's time to finish our battle once and for all, Ichimaru!!"

"Such strong words, Captain Hitsugaya," Ichimaru grinned.

"Sit upon the frozen sky, Hyorinmaru!" Hitsugaya shouted. His reiatsu flared up and his Zanpakto shot out a majestic blue ice dragon, aimed at Ichimaru. Ichimaru narrowly dodged it just as the ice dragon impacted with the ground.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya called. His vice captain Shunpo-ed behind Ichimaru.

"Growl, Haineko!" Matsumoto shouted. Her Zanpakto turned into a stream of ash. She flung ash at Ichimaru, who Shunpo-ed clear.

"My, my, Rangiku, I told you not to come after me," Ichimaru said in a sly voice. "If you press any further I will be forced to hurt you."

"I don't care," Matsumoto replied. Her distraction was enough for Hitsugaya to wrap his chain around Ichimaru and shoot the ice dragon at him. Ichimaru's upper torso, right leg and left arm were frozen. Before Ichimaru could break free of the ice, Hitsugaya Shunpo-ed in and slashed his sword at his left arm, snapping it. Ichimaru grunted in pain, but then he snickered. Hitsugaya had unwittingly left himself wide open.

"Shoot him, Shinzo," Ichimaru whispered. His sword shot out and pierced Hitsugaya in the left shoulder, pinning him against a cliff face.

"Captain!" Matsumoto shouted. She attacked Ichimaru with her flail. Ichimaru quickly withdrew his sword and shot it out at her. Matsumoto failed to dodge in time and was hit hard in the waist, sending her slamming against a rock wall.

"Damn," Hitsugaya swore. _I hope Matsumoto's alright_. He clutched his bleeding left shoulder as he saw Ichimaru walk towards him.

"I think you've overstretched yourself, Hitsugaya-kun. Rangiku is down but she's not hurt so badly. I have no wish to kill either of you," Ichimaru said.

"I can see through your lies, Ichimaru!" Hitsugaya shouted. "Bankai!" His body was surrounded by a tremendous aura of reiatsu. Two gigantic blue ice wings sprouted from his back, ice claws grew on his hands, an ice tail grew out of his rear end and the handle and guard of his Zanpakto changed into a maw of a dragon. "Daiguren Hyorinmaru!"

Before Ichimaru could react, Hitsugaya shot a massive blast of ice at him. Ichimaru narrowly avoided the blast, but Hitsugaya had anticipated his movement. He Shunpo-ed behind Ichimaru and stabbed him in the side.

"Ryusenka!" Hitsugaya shouted. Ichimaru grimaced as his body started to freeze up. He pointed his sword at Hitsugaya and called out, "Shinzo" again. Hitsugaya was forced to Shunpo away to avoid Ichimaru's attack. He landed beside Matsumoto.

"Matsumoto, are you alright?" Hitsugaya asked. Matsumoto stirred and opened her eyes. She grabbed hold of her Zanpakto again and stood up.

"I'm ready captain," Matsumoto nodded. The two of them stared at Ichimaru, who had finished applying reiatsu to the wound on his waist.

"My, my, you're proving much more tenacious than last time, Hitsugaya-kun," Ichimaru smiled. "I'm afraid I cannot hold back any longer. Bankai." His Zanpakto shattered into millions of pieces that were absorbed into his body. He was surrounded by an immense silver reiatsu, casting a light that blinded Hitsugaya and Matsumoto. When they regained their eyesight they were stunned by what they saw. Millions of blades were literally coming out of Ichimaru's body. They appeared to be half controlled by him and half moving by their free will.

"This is my Bankai, Shinzo, Deus Ex Machina," Ichimaru said. "You've seen it before haven't you?" He extended his hands, directing the swarm of blades to fly at Hitsugaya and Matsumoto. The blades merged together, resembling a ferocious serpent. Hitsugaya barely managed to dodge it. Matsumoto wasn't so lucky. Her left foot was caught in the swarm of blades and was almost shredded.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya shouted. He dived into the path of the blades and knocked Matsumoto out of the way. In the process, he sustained the full force of Ichimaru's Bankai. The blades ripped through his body, tearing apart his skin and clothing. As the swarm of blades reared up to strike again, Hitsugaya fell onto his hands and knees, gasping for breath. Blood flowed down the side of his body. Matsumoto tried getting up, even though her left leg was nothing but a bloodied stump.

"Stay where you are," Hitsugaya ordered. "I'll take on Ichimaru by myself."

"What are you thinking captain? You don't stand a chance against him!" Matsumoto yelled. Hitsugaya didn't listen. He Shunpo-ed towards Ichimaru just as the swarm of blades rushed at him again. Before they reached him, Hitsugaya activated Touketsu Sekai, casting a twenty foot wide sphere around himself. Once the blades penetrated the spear they were instantly frozen, causing them to drop to the ground and shatter into dozens of pieces. Ichimaru appeared to be surprised, finally showing his pupils in a concerned expression.

"That's an interesting ability you have there, Hitsugaya-kun," Ichimaru smiled. "Is that your Bankai's new move?"

"Of course. I spent four years of hard training to attain it," Hitsugaya replied. "I developed it for the sole purpose of defeating you!" Hitsugaya expanded his sphere, engulfing more of the ground in the supercooled nitrogen gas that instantly froze anything it touched. Instead of calmly waiting for Hitsugaya to approach him, Ichimaru decided to retreat backwards, surrounding himself with his Bankai. Hitsugaya noticed his tactic and was amused.

"What's the matter? Are you too scared to fight me head on?" he asked. "My Touketsu Sekai freezes anything in its radius down to absolute zero. Your Bankai won't work on me anymore."

"Is that so?" Ichimaru grinned again. By now, his calm facade was starting to crumble as Hitsugaya slowly pushed him into a corner. _Damn, I don't want to die here...has Aizen-san really abandoned me?_ Ichimaru thought in his mind. _He promised that he would protect me from harm..._ He gritted his teeth, wondering what he should do. Just then, he saw Hinamori, wandering back from the underground tunnel. Hitsugaya saw her as well.

"What are you doing Momo?" Hitsugaya asked. "Get away from here as quickly as possible!" Hinamori hesitated, not knowing what to do.

"But, I wanted to help you fight Ichimaru..." she stuttered.

"I'm handling him well by myself," Hitsugaya said. "You'll only get caught in the crossfire." Seeing the two of them argue made Ichimaru happy.

"It appears that there is still some tension between the two of you," Ichimaru grinned evilly. His eyes now were wide open. "I wonder how you'll react if I do this!" He directed the swarm of blades at Hinamori, who froze in complete shock.

"No!" Hitsugaya shouted. He deactivated Touketsu Sekai and Shunpo-ed in front of Hinamori. Curling his Bankai into a ball, he surrounded himself and Hinamori as the swarm of blades passed through them. Hitsugaya grimaced as his Bankai was slowly demolished piece by piece, buckling from the sheer mass of blades. After Ichimaru finished his assault, Hitsugaya's Bankai had all but disappeared. Hinamori cried as she saw the huge mass of blood flowing down his back.

"Toshiro-kun!" she sobbed. She stared up as Ichimaru returned his Zanpakto to normal and walked towards them.

"I guess this is it. Prepare to die, Hitsugaya-kun," Ichimaru said. He pointed his sword at Hitsugaya's head. "Shoot him, Shinzo." His sword shot out again at rapid speed. Just before it reached Hitsugaya, Matsumoto suddenly Shunpo-ed in front of him. Ichimaru's blade pierced through her chest. For a brief moment, the world seemed to end for all of them. Ichimaru, Hitsugaya and Hinamori were utterly stunned as they saw Matsumoto convulse. As Ichimaru quickly withdrew his sword, Matsumoto coughed up blood. A second later she toppled onto her back.

"Rangiku..." Ichimaru stuttered. He realized the enormity of what he had done, but it was too late to do anything about it. His moment of hesitation proved to be last, for Hitsugaya seized the chance to stab him directly in the back with his remaining Bankai power. Within seconds Ichimaru's body was almost completely frozen except for his head. His spirit energy now completely drained, Ichimaru fell forwards. As he did so he saw Matsumoto, still barely conscious, looking up at him.

"Gin..." Matsumoto croaked. "Why did you?"

"I'm sorry Rangiku. I'm sorry for everything," Ichimaru smiled. "I truly loved you." With that his body toppled to the ground and shattered in a dozen pieces. Still struggling to comprehend what he had just seen, Hitsugaya was almost completely numb. His Zanpakto returned to normal as he knelt beside Matsumoto, with Hinamori sitting alongside him.

"Hang on Matsumoto, don't you dare die on me!" Hitsugaya yelled. "Matsumoto!"

"Thank you captain," Matsumoto croaked. "It was a wonderful pleasure serving you." Matsumoto's eyes went blank and she slumped over. Hitsugaya couldn't accept what happened to her. He refused to believe that she was dead. As he stared down as beloved vice captain's lifeless body, his once ice cold demeanour snapped for good.

"NOOOOO!!" Hitsugaya cried to the heavens.

* * *

The phoenix and the remaining divisions on board had gone around the other side of the citadel, dodging and weathering a storm of arrows and explosive missiles. Parts of the hull had been blown open and a piece of the right wing had been torn off, severely destabilizing it. Urahara had skilfully guided it over the moat, where he temporarily slowed the phoenix down.

"Isshin, take your divisions and parachute down to the drawbridge at once. I can't hold the phoenix steady any longer!" Urahara called into the microphone.

"Gotcha Kisuke," Isshin replied from his receiver. He turned to Hiyori, Kiyone, Sentaro and the rest of his division. "Alright let's go!"

"Of course, Captain Isshin!" Sentaro and Kiyone shouted in unison.

"About time too," Hiyori muttered. The rear tail walkway lowered for the final time and the thirteenth division jumped out of the phoenix seconds before the tail was hit by a barrage of missiles. The rear section blew off, and landed in the moat where it quickly disintegrated into nothing. Urahara did his best to move the phoenix out of range of the citadel's defences and prepare for a landing run.

A few seconds later, Isshin, Hiyori and his men touched down a few dozen yards from the moat and began Shunpo-ing towards it.

"Our objective is simple," Isshin explained in a loud voice. "Half of the division must jump to the other side and lower the drawbridge. The rest of us will hold off any enemy forces attempting to raise it again and clear the way for Urahara's team to enter the citadel. Hiyori, you will lead the primary team."

"What, why me?" Hiyori asked.

"Come on, you're far more nimble than I am. I'll give you a treat when we get back."

"Fine, but you'll have to pay me double!" Hiyori yelled. She Shunpo-ed on ahead, taking half of the division with her, as they reached the moat, they were confronted by a swarm of arrows. Isshin's group skilfully deflected them all, whilst Hiyori's group leaped right over the moat and landed on the narrow strip of land next to the citadel entrance. As they began cutting the chains keeping the drawbridge up, they suddenly attacked by a mysterious person wearing red and white robes. Isshin recognised the man at once.

"Stay here!" he told Sentaro, Kiyone and them rest of his men. He Shunpo-ed across the moat and engaged with the mysterious red-haired man. The man appeared delighted at seeing Isshin's face.

"It's been a long time, Shiba Isshin," he smirked.

"Indeed it has. I'm amazed you still remember me, Hino," Isshin said.

"Hey Goat face, what do I do now?" Hiyori asked.

"Keep lowering the drawbridge and take out any enemy soldiers that come through the front. I'll hold this guy off!" He and Kagutsuchi took to the air and Shunpo-ed back across the moat. Near the drawbridge, Hiyori released her Shikai, Nyoibo, and begun taking down enemy soldiers, sending them plummeting into the all-consuming moat, as her fellow comrades continued to cut the chains holding the drawbridge up.

Isshin and Kagutsuchi landed a fair distance away from Sentaro, Kiyone and the remainder of the thirteenth division. They parted swords and stared at each other.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing your face here again, Isshin," Kagutsuchi said. "I still can't forgive you for what you did to Amaterasu!"

"It wasn't my fault. Amaterasu forced me to escort her to the real world. Besides, wasn't it _you _who caused her death when you tried to hunt me down?" Isshin asked.

"Lies! I would never hurt her! Amaterasu is someone I hold dear in my heart!"

"Oh right, I forgot. You're her half-brother or something. I heard you were estranged by the Spirit King though."

"What Spirit King? Aizen-dono regards me as his most loyal servant! He trusts me fully!" Kagutsuchi screamed.

"Is that why he made you guard the bridge like a watchdog?" Isshin's taunt made Kagutsuchi berserk. He charged at Isshin, slashing violently at his head. Isshin calmly blocked his attack and parried is sword away.

"I shall tear you into pieces, Isshin!" Kagutsuchi shouted. "Scorch, Kyuubi!" His Zanpakto glowed a bright red, emitting an eerie reiatsu. The blade disappeared, replaced by nine separate whip-like tails, flaming red in colour. The sheer heat they emitted burnt the grass beneath Kagutsuchi to a cinder.

"I was wondering when you'd unleash the beast again," Isshin said. "I guess I should counter with my own beast. Dig, Shukaku!" His Zanpakto turned into a stream of sand, shifting between sates of fluidity. A second later, he and Kagutsuchi Shunpo-ed into the air and clashed with their Shikais. The force of the impact created a huge shockwave that shook the entire citadel. Kagutsuchi lashed out furiously, striking at Isshin with all nine tails. Isshin did his best to block with his Shikai in an almost solid state. The heat from the flaming tails was taking his toll on Isshin however, and a sudden drop in his guard allowed Kagutsuchi to strike him the waist. Isshin grimaced in pain as one of the tails burnt through his robes and scorched his skin. He quickly Shunpo-ed away and separated his Shikai into a loose stream of particles.

"What's the matter Isshin? Can't keep up with my Kyuubi?" Kagutsuchi asked with a snivelling face.

"No, I was trying to come up with a new strategy," Isshin replied. He pointed his finger at Kagutsuchi, shouting "Bakudou 4, Hainawa!" A thin yellow string surrounded Kagutsuchi's arms, temporarily immobilising him.

"You think this puny little Kidou is going to stop me?" Kagutsuchi asked in a rage.

"No, but this will stop you," Isshin said. He shot his steam of stand out and wrapped it around Kagutsuchi neck. A second later the stream hardened into solid rock. As a result, Kagutsuchi gasped as his neck was gradually crushed by the sand. He began to cough out blood and slowly Isshin started strangling him. In retaliation, Kagutsuchi lashed out at Isshin with a fiery tail. With his Zanpakto still tied to Kagutsuchi, Isshin could do little to block; his left arm was slashed by the tail, causing him intense pain as it burn through his robes and skin. Eventually, Isshin had to let go of his grip, loosening his stranglehold over Kagutsuchi. Both of them took some time to recover their strength. It was clear however, that Kagutsuchi had been more seriously injured. His neck had almost been ripped apart and with each breath Kagutsuchi coughed up blood.

"Damn you!" he swore. "I'll make you pay for what you did to my neck! Bankai!" The nine tails of his Zanpakto expanded, engulfing him in a dense sphere of reiatsu. The sphere expanded in size, creating a vast tornado to form around it. It was so large that the other members of the thirteenth division could see it clearly. A minute later, the cloud dissipated, and almost everyone shrieked at what they saw. Kagutsuchi standing upon the a back of a truly gargantuan red demon fox, over fifty foot high and a hundred of feet in length. It had nine enormous tails stretching for another hundred feet. The spiritual pressure it exerted was enough to bring most of Isshin's men to their knees.

"I'm sure you remember seeing my Bankai, Kyuubi no Youko, haven't you, Isshin?" Kagutsuchi asked.

"Of course. It was your Bankai that accidentally killed Amaterasu," Isshin replied.

"Shut the fuck up!" Kagutsuchi screamed out in anger.

"Whatever. I can't let you kill innocent people with that monster. I'll have to counter it with my own. Bankai!" His Zanpakto disintegrated. A second later the ground underneath rumbled to a scale of a magnitude eight earthquake. Then a giant figure of dirt and sand rose out of the ground and solidified itself into what appeared to be a raccoon.

"Shinzui no daichi Shukaku," Isshin said. Kagutsuchi smirked.

"Hah, the last time we fought, my Kyuubi crushed your Shukaku!" he exclaimed.

"Well things are different this time around."

"We shall see!" Kagutsuchi directed his demon fox to charge at Isshin and his raccoon. Isshin directed Shukaku to strike out with its right arm. The Kyuubi leaped clear of the giant arm of sand and sunk its fangs into the raccoon's neck. Although Isshin was directly injured, he could feel the spirit energy of his Bankai drain away.

"Hadou 54, Haien!" Kagutsuchi shouted, firing a yellow bolt of pure energy at Isshin.

"Bakudou 39, Enkosen!" Isshin cast a three foot wide translucent shield in front of him. The shield shattered under the force of the Hadou, but it gave Isshin time to charge another Kidou spell. He pointed his left hand at Kagutsuchi.

"Hadou 58, Tenran!" he shouted. He fired a huge blast of compressed air at Kagutsuchi, sending him flying off the Kyuubi's back. This made the demon fox loosen its grip on Shukaku. Isshin seized the chance and wrapped Shukaku's arms around the Kyuubi's neck. The raccoon then fired a humongous ball of water at the demon fox's face. The water merely sizzled upon contact with the bubbling surface of the Kyuubi, and Shukaku's arms were starting to dissolve from the sheer intensity of the demon fox's aura.

"Damn it," Isshin cursed. He retracted Shukaku's arms and moved Shukaku away from the Kyuubi. Kagutsuchi had gotten back on the demon fox's back and resumed his assault. The Kyuubi lashed its tails out. Two of the tails hit Shukaku directly, causing the raccoon to almost crumble from the sheer force of the blows. Two more struck the ground close to the other thirteenth division members, carving out a thirty foot deep trench. Another tail swung out and slammed into several of Isshin's comrades, sending them flying into the citadel, before they landed in the moat.

"No!!" Isshin cried, knowing that there was no way of saving them. Despair crept into his heart. Kagutsuchi laughed madly.

"This is it! There's no way you can defeat me now!" he yelled. "Prepare to die!" He directed the Kyuubi to lash out all nine of its tails at Isshin. Staring death in the face, Isshin had one last ditch gamble. He fused his body with his Bankai. In an instant, Shukaku emitted a radiant glow as bright as the sun, blinding everyone in a mile wide radius. Kagutsuchi halted his attack, covering his eyes to escape the glare. When the light faded, he saw what had happened. Shukaku was now blue and white in colour. The Kyuubi lashed at it with its tails, but they simply bounced off the raccoon's skin.

"Impossible! Nothing can withstand the intensity of my Kyuubi's attacks!" Kagutsuchi screamed in rage.

"It's over," Isshin said. "I've fused with Shukaku, and completely charged its particles with my spirit energy. It's now become Kongou Shukaku." Before Kagutsuchi could make a move, the diamond Shukaku lifted the demon fox in the air and threw it into the moat. Kagutsuchi frantically Shunpo-ed off the Kyuubi just as the monstrous creature fell into the moat, its head demolishing a huge chunk of the bridge. Kagutsuchi didn't get very far before Isshin, having resealed his Zanpakto, Shunpo-ed in front of him and stabbed in the soul chain. Kagutsuchi's eyes turned white as he lost consciousness.

"I'm sorry, Hino," Isshin sighed. He sheathed his sword and carried Kagutsuchi to the ground. As he landed, Isshin started to faint. He had expended nearly all of his spirit energy with the final move. He could barely stand, let alone move, as he saw the phoenix start to descend.

* * *

"Shit, the bridge has been knocked down!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"What are we going to do?" Ishida asked. "We're going to crash into the moat!" Missiles were continuously fired at the phoenix, blowing it apart piece by piece. A particular large missile swerved downwards and scored a critical hit. A gigantic explosion severed the phoenix's head from its body.

"We're going to crash!" Renji shouted.

"Do something!" Rukia urged Urahara.

"I'm trying!" Urahara replied. He grappled with the controls as the head of the phoenix spiraled down towards the citadel.

"There are people on the bridge," Sado pointed out. Urahara now visible panicked.

"Where the hell is Isshin? He's got to get those people away from the bridge!"

"Worry about our safety first, Urahara," Ryuken said. "We need to get into the citadel alive." Ryuken's words gave Urahara a spark of inspiration.

"Hang on, I'm going to try something," he said.

"It better not be something crazy!" Ichigo exclaimed. He was strapped to his seat as the phoenix streaked down towards the citadel. It scraped along the ground and crossed the half-broken bridge within seconds, before crashing right through the entrance. It skidded along for some three hundred yards before it finally grinded to a halt.

Having watched the carnage from a fair a distance away, Isshin was devastated at what he saw. He Shunpo-ed beside Kiyone and Sentaro, who were just as shocked.

"Where's Hiyori?" Isshin asked.

"I saw her run into the citadel just as the phoenix crash-landed," Kiyone replied. Isshin gritted his teeth.

"I sure hope she, Ichigo, Urahara and the others are alright," he said with concern.

* * *

The citadel has been breached! Have Ichigo and his friends survived the crash landing?

Notes: This chapter is bound to be contraversial due to several factors. The most obvious one is what happens to Ichimaru and Matsumoto. People will be wandering I decided to 'kill off' Matsumoto rather than Hitsugaya or Hinamori. I honestly think it was much more dramatic and emotional to do it this way. Ichimaru clearly has feelings for Matsumoto, and it was a good way to resolve the issues regarding their relatsionship as well as allowing Hitsugaya to kill Ichimaru off without it sounding too unrealisitic.

Shinzo, Deus Ex Machina: I thought for a while about what Ichimaru's Bankai should be called, but I couldn't come up with a better than this one. Deux Ex Machina means man from machine in latin. The design of his Bankai is heavily inspired by the sentinels in the Matrix Revolutions when they form into one colossal entity. Deus Ex Machina also means absurd plot device, which is apt considering the outcome of the first battle.

Kagutsuchi Hino: The god this character is based on has a very interesting mythology. He was apparently the child of Izanami, whose birth caused her to die and he was subsequently butchered by Izanagi. I tried to copy as much of the spirit of the background as possible, making him a member of the Royal Family and causing the death of Amaterasu. To establish a past history of Isshin, I decided to make him the Royal Guard who chased Isshin down. His Shikai is Kyuubi, which means nine-tails in Japanese. It takes the form of a whip consisting of nine flaming tails. A lot of readers are going to point out the blatant similarity with Naruto, but I must stress that the Kyuubi isn't exclusive to Naruto. Also, giving Kagutsuchi a tailed-beast puts him in line with the other elemental guardians like Isshin and Raiden. Kagutsuchi's Bankai is Kyuubi no Youko, which is the full version of the nine-tailed demon fox.

Kongou Shukaku: This is Isshin's most powerful Bankai form where he fuses body with his Bankai. Sand hardens into diamond when it is subjected to very high pressure and temperature, so it's natural that a higher spiritual pressure would cause Shukaku's skin to turn into diamond as well.

A final note, I thank everyone who was written reviews so far and urge you to send me more feedback. The final battles are about to begin!


	35. Chapter 35: Insanity and Genius

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach Fan story: After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: Soul Society has invaded the King's Realm, triggering the Great Heavenly War. After laying siege to the palace walls, the Gotei 13 utilized a phoenix constructed out of the remnants of the Sokyoku to break into the outer city. After dropping the 6th and 11th divisions down to secure the perimeter around the citadel, Urahara flew the to the rear of the Citadel of Heaven, where Hitsugaya and his division descended from the phoenix tasked with infiltrating the undergound tunnel. Before they could do so, they were confronted by the trecheous Ichimaru Gin. In a titanic battle, Hitsugaya managed to kill Ichimaru for good, but not before Matsumoto tragically sacrificed herself for him. Meanwhile, the phoenix came under heavy attack from the citadel's defence systems. Urahara dropped Isshin's division down to secure the bridge over the moat, as he prepared for the final descent. Isshin encountered the Royal Guard who had hunted him in the real world, the Kagutsuchi Hino. With Hiyori lowering the bridge on the other side, Isshin unleashes his Shukaku against Kagutsuchi's Kyuubi and ultimately triumpher. However, in defeat Kagutsuchi managed to destroy the bridge. With no space to land and after a missile destroyed the phoenix's body, Urahara made a desperate final manouevre and crashed the phoenix's head into the entrance of the citadel...

Chapter 35: Insanity and Genius

"My god, what a crash," Ichigo said. He found himself slumped on the floor, still strapped to his seat. Apparently the seat had broken off when the phoenix touched down and collided against a wall. Ichigo was lucky he hadn't suffered any major injuries, just a minor bruise.

"Is everyone alright?" Urahara asked as he stood up from the controls.

"Amazing, my glasses came out intact," Ishida said, dusting off his clothes.

"We should be worrying about how our troops are doing down below," Renji said. Ichigo nodded. Everyone in the cockpit got out of their seats and walked down to the lower level. They were aghast at what they saw. The rear end of the head was wide open, the body of the phoenix having been blown away by missiles. Dozens of Shinigami were slumped on the ground unconscious. Some were clearly dead, having been impaled against loose objects or knocked against the walls. Others were badly injured but still alive.

"Lisa, what's the status?" Renji asked.

"We've suffered ten fatalities and half a dozen wounded," Lisa replied. "The rest of us are good to go."

"What about our division?" Rukia asked Minazawa and Mariko.

"Um, eight of our nakama fell into the moat and another eight are unable to move," Minazawa replied.

"Great, we've already suffered casualties without even coming into contact with the enemy," Ichigo moaned.

"Let's focus on getting out of here alive," Ryuken suggested. "The vessel looks unstable and might blow at any moment."

"Good idea," Urahara nodded. Ichigo and Rukia, Renji and Lisa, the four of them led their respective divisions out of the phoenix from the side doors. They were followed by Urahara, Ishida, Sado and Ryuken. As the group of nearly four hundred Shinigami exited the phoenix, they were confronted by over a hundred Tengu soldiers, all of them with arrows pointing directly at them.

"We've walked into a trap," Sado said. Everyone readied their weapons.

"A great help you guys have been!" a girl's voice called out from behind them. They turned around and saw who it was.

"Hiyori!" Urahara exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? Isshin ordered to lower the drawbridge as he fought that Royal Guard guy," Hiyori replied. "Then when that giant fox crashed upon the drawbridge, I and a hundred other guys were trapped on this side. Then you guys just happened to crash the phoenix right on top of us. Good thing we got out of the way in time."

"Thanks Hiyori," Ichigo said. "Let's take care of these guys and make our way to the top of the citadel."

"Not so fast," a female voice echoed throughout the immense atrium. Everyone looked for the source of the voice. Hiyori was the first one to see who it was. Her eyes widened in shock.

"It can't be!" she gasped. Standing halfway up the circular flight of stairs leading to the second level was a woman dressed in white. She looked like a living goddess, with an immaculate face, flowing long hair and eyes that seemed to hide a thousand secrets. A diamond tiara glittered upon her head.

"It's been ages since I've seen you, Hiyori-chan," the woman spoke in a soft, almost regal voice. Urahara noticed Hiyori's expression and realized who it was.

"Hikifune-sama?" Hiyori asked. "You're still alive?"

"Of course I am, and I see you've brought along some of your friends," Hikifune's eyes flashed towards Urahara. "Including my replacement."

"Who is she?" Ichigo asked Urahara.

"She is Hikifune Kirio. My predecessor as captain of the twelfth division," Urahara replied. "This was long before the Research and Development Institute had been founded. "I didn't expect to see her here." Urahara unsheathed his sword from his cane. "You guys better go on ahead. I'll deal with her." Ichigo, Rukia, Renji and the others didn't question Urahara's orders.

"Ichigo, Lisa and I will head down to the underground tunnels and meet up with Hitsugaya's team," Renji said.

"Good idea," Ichigo said. He watched as Renji's division starting running down the flight of stairs. "Minazawa, Mariko, Tanaka, take our division and accompany Sado."

"Okay captain!" Minazawa replied. They followed behind Sado as Ichigo, Rukia and Ishida Shunpo-ed ahead. Hikifune tried to intercept then but she was stopped by Urahara.

"Those kids can wait. You'll have to deal with me first," Urahara said.

"And me!" Hiyori shouted. Urahara was shocked that Hiyori hadn't gone ahead with Ichigo. Hikifune was slightly miffed.

"Urahara Kisuke, the person who replaced me as the captain of twelfth division," she said in a pompous voice. "Judging from accounts by the Royal Guards who joined after me, you didn't do a good job."

"I did more than enough, considering the length of my tenure," Urahara said.

"I wonder how Hiyori thinks of you. I'm sure she still regards me as a mother figure."

"Is that so? Perhaps you should ask Hiyori yourself." Angered, Hikifune pressed her sword down upon Urahara. They parted swords and Shunpo-ed down to the floor of the atrium. Hiyori and the remainder of the thirteenth division were locked in combat with Hikifune's Tengu soldiers.

"Hiyori-chan seems to be showing greater fighting spirit than usual," Hikifune commented. Her brief moment of distraction allowed Urahara to slash across her cheek.

"Of course she has. She's been forced to toughen up during her century of exile," Urahara grinned. Hikifune wiped the blood off her face in disgust.

"You've sullied my beautiful face," she said. "If this were any other time I would forgive such a transgression, but at this moment I cannot afford to do so. If you will not submit from words alone then I shall require force to do so. Meditate, Kannon!" Her Zanpakto glowed brightly with a golden light. From the tip of the blade a ghostly spirit emerged, growing in size until it took on the appearance of an ethereal version of Hikifune, sitting down with her legs crossed. Urahara stared at it in amazement, having never seen a Zanpakto like it before.

"You seem surprised," Hikifune smiled. "Before you replaced me as captain, the twelfth division specialized in the study of spirits and the occult. We were the experts on how souls passed on, were reincarnated or ascended to a higher plane. My Zanpakto is the embodiment of the philosophy." Before Urahara could react, Hikifune sent her ghostly apparition forward. The spirit pierced through his sword and went right through his body. As it did so, Urahara felt the energy in his body being drained away. He suddenly fell to his knees, his arms and legs no longer having the strength to stand up.

"What's happened to me? I feel so weak," he spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Already feeling the effects of my Shikai I see," Hikifune smiled. "Kannon judges the souls of everyone she passes through. Those who have committed sins will have their life force taken away depending on the severity of their sins."

Hiyori, who had nearly finished disposing the last of the Tengu soldiers, noticed the sudden drop in Urahara's reiatsu. She turned around and saw what had caused it. Her eyes widened in shock. _That's Hikifune-san's Zanpakto! If she used it on Urahara, then that means…_She knew what would happen if Urahara had his spirit energy drained again. She quickly killed the final Tengu soldier and Shunpo-ed in front of Hikifune just as she was preparing to send her apparition forward.

"What are you doing, Hiyori-chan?" Hikifune asked. "Get out of the way."

"I refuse! I'm not letting you suck the life out of Urahara," Hiyori said. "Despite the differences we've had, I still regard him as my most dearest mentor."

"I see. Then what Urahara said was true. You have forgotten everything I did for you." Hikifune was severely disappointed by Hiyori's attitude.

"Of course. How could I respect you when you abandoned me and your loyal subordinates without warning? If it wasn't for Urahara, our whole division would have fallen apart. I've lost my faith in you, Hikifune-san."

"I guess words won't solve anything then," Hikifune sighed. "If that's the case, then I shall treat you as an enemy." She directed her ghost to fly at Hiyori. Hiyori swung her Nyoibo in front of her in a desperate attempt to block the attack, but the ghost easily passed through the spinning staff and went through her body. Hiyori fell onto her back, her spirit energy almost completely drained.

"No, Hiyori!" Urahara yelled. "Damn, I have no choice but to get serious. Awaken, Benihime!" He turned his Zanpakto in a ninety-degree angle. As he turned, the blade, guard and handle changed. Instead of a cane-sword, he was now holding a three-foot long short sword with an elegant guard and a dazzling red tassel. Hikifune was impressed.

"So that's your Zanpakto, very elegant and stylish. Still I don't think it will be able to stop my attacks."

"Let's just see, shall we? I haven't demonstrated what my Shikai can do," Urahara said. Hikifune promptly sent her apparition at Urahara again. Urahara raised his sword to block. Instead of penetrating through the sword, Hikifune's ghost was blocked by a translucent red barrier, covering the front and sides of Urahara's body.

"Surprised? This is Blood Mist Shield," Urahara explained. "It protects me from any sort of attacks, whether they are physical, Kidou or spiritual in nature."

"What an annoying defence," Hikifune noted. "I don't suppose that's the only thing your Zanpakto can do."

"Of course not," Urahara smiled. "Nake, Benihime!" He swung his sword upwards in a semi-circular arc, firing a gigantic red blast directly at Hikifune. The Royal Guard raised her sword and apparition to block it, but the blast tore through them both and hit her directly. A huge explosion erupted in the middle of the atrium, causing the stairs to crumble. When the dust cleared, Hikifune was crouched on the floor, clutching her bleeding waist. Urahara's attack had cut a huge gash along her torso.

"You've angered me long enough. I wanted to give you a quick and painless death, but now I see you deserve some karmic pain before you die. Bankai!" Hikifune shouted. A gigantic sphere of reiatsu engulfed her body, obscuring her from view. It expanded outwards to nearly fill up the entire atrium. Urahara, Hiyori and everyone else in the vicinity covered their eyes as the sphere emitted a blinding light. When the light finally died down, everyone was astonished at what they saw. A thirty foot high spectral statue sat in the middle of the atrium. It sat in the same folded knees position. From its main head rose ten smaller heads, perched atop each other to form a grotesque crown. From its torso sprouted hundreds of arms, surrounded by a golden aura. As for Hikifune, she was visible in the centre of the statue, sitting in the exact same position.

"This is my Bankai, Kannon Avalokitesavara," Hikifune said. "It is the ultimate embodiment of spirituality." Urahara fired another crimson blast at the statue again, but this time the attack merely passed through the statue, smashing against the opposite wall in a huge explosion. _No way? I aimed for her directly!_ Urahara thought.

"It's futile. My Bankai is made of incorporeal spirit particles. As long as my spiritual energy is present, it can reform itself as will. And as long as my Bankai is present, I can redirect any physical damage that is done to me. In other words, it's a more advanced version of your blood mist shied," Hikifune explained.

"That's a pretty awesome power," Urahara complimented her.

"No need for such comments when I can take pleasure in humiliating you." Hikifune motioned with her arms, causing the statue to extend its arms outwards. Urahara raised his Blood Mist Shield to block them, but several arms skirted around the shield and grabbed him from behind. Urahara was pulled towards Hikifune. When he was about ten feet away, Hikifune directed the statue's other arms to start pummelling Urahara. Urahara was pounded repeatedly by dozens of arms, enduring an untold number of punches. Hiyori, who had recovered from being drained before, saw what was happening and rushed in to stop Hikifune's attacks. She put on her Vizard mask, multiplying her reiatsu several times, and sliced through all of the statue's arms in a single swing of her Nyoibo.

Hikifune was surprised by the sudden attack, and was greatly disturbed by the nature of Hiyori's reiatsu. She reformed her Bankai statue, draining a large portion of her spirit energy in doing so.

"What is that reiatsu? It resembles a hollow's," Hikifune said. "Have you been meddling in hollow powers, Hiyori-chan?"

"I didn't choose to be like this!" Hiyori exclaimed in a bestial voice. "I was a victim of Aizen's experiments. He turned me into a freak of nature. Thankfully Urahara was able to stabilize the hollow inside me. Now I'm a Vizard, a Shinigami who draws upon hollow powers." Hiyori charged her Nyoibo with raw spirit energy and pointed it at Hikifune. In an instant she fired a cero from the tip of the staff. The giant red energy beam pierced through the ethereal statue and almost hit Hikifune directly.

"That was close. Your Vizard power has certainly made you strong Hiyori-chan, but at the cost of corrupting your soul," Hikifune said. "I have no choice but to do this to you." She extended out one of the statue's arms at frightening speed. Before Hiyori could react, she was impaled near her soul chain and soul booster. Hiyori gasped in pain. Her mask shattered and she coughed up blood. Hikifune threw her against the atrium wall, causing her to slump to the ground.

"No, Hiyori!" Urahara yelled. He struggled to get to his feet. His face was a bloody mess, half smashed in from the barrage of punches he received. Blood was pooling on the floor around his body.

"This is the end, Urahara," Hikifune said. "I have decided to be merciful. I will strip you of your Shinigami powers, just like I did with Hiyori. You will still keep your life."

"That doesn't sound like a good comprise to me," Urahara croaked. "I'd rather die than live the rest of my life in humiliation. And if I'm to die, I wish to die on my own terms. Bankai!" The blood that had flowed from his body rose into the air and started condensing together, pulled by Urahara's spirit energy. Within seconds the figure of a woman began to take shape, formed by Urahara's own blood. Urahara screamed as a torrent of blood spurted out of his body, merging with the other remnants of his blood to form the complete figure of a woman. She was exuded both beauty and hideousness, with blood flowing freely down her body. Hikifune was repulsed by the sight of her.

"This is my Bankai, Ketsueki Otome Benihime," Urahara said. "Whenever I release it, I must sacrifice a large portion of my spirit energy in the form of blood. This makes it highly dangerous, with a high risk of me dying from blood loss. That is why I always refrain from using it if I can afford to."

"So, your Bankai is so dangerous that you only use it as a last-ditch option," Hikifune smiled. "Not a very reliable power isn't it?"

"Maybe not, but I have to warn you about its power," Urahara said. With a wave of his hand, he sent the bloody woman forward. Hikifune extended all of her statue's arms in an attempt to destroy it, but the woman easily avoided all of them. It penetrated the statue and dissolved into pure blood. Hikifune screamed as she felt the inside of her Bankai fill up with blood. Urahara waited until the statue was completely inundated with blood. Then with a click up his hands, he caused the blood inside the statue to exploded, destroying Hikifune's Bankai in the process. Urahara's blood splattered against the surface of the surrounding walls. A minute later, the individual blood droplets started pooling together, and soon the blood princess was fully reformed. In that time, Hikifune had just managed to reform her statue. She was panting heavily, having expended most of her spirit energy just to maintain her Bankai. Urahara noticed the drop in her reiatsu.

"It appears your Bankai requires a lot of spirit energy to maintain," he said. "Every time you reform it, your energy decreases by a fair amount. Right now, I'd say your spirit energy is pretty much depleted."

"Shut up!" Hikifune swore at her. "I don't you mocking me like this!"

"I'm not mocking you. I'm stating the obvious. In any case, this battle is just about over," Urahara stated. "When my Bankai entered your Bankai and dissolved into liquid, it took a sample of your spirit signature, your DNA to use the real world terminology. With it, my Bankai has morphed itself into a direct copy of your spiritual body. Anything that happens to it will affect you directly. Like this." Urahara took out his sword and stabbed his Bankai's left arm. A second later, Hikifune's left arm literally exploded, with blood splattering all over the inside of the statue. Hikifune screamed and clutched her arm in pain. Urahara proceeded to stab his Bankai's right arm, causing Hikifune's right arm to explode in a shower of blood. The blood loss was too much for Hikifune to bear. Her Bankai dissolved, returning to a normal Zanpakto that promptly snapped in half. Hikifune fell onto her chest, her spirit energy almost completely drained.

Urahara promptly dissolved his Bankai and returned his Zanpakto to normal. He checked Hikifune's pulse, satisfied that she was alive. He then went over to Hiyori and was relieved to discover that her soul chain and soul booster were still instant. He called the surviving members of the thirteenth division to look after all. Finally, after doing all that he could, Urahara fell onto his back, completely exhausted.

"Crap, I've pushed myself too hard," he chuckled. "I really need to take a nap before I can do anything else." He closed his eyes and fell unconscious.

Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Ryuken ran up a long spiralling flight of stairs, with Sado and the fifth division following closely behind. They had gone up several flights of stairs, arriving at a nondescript floor each time, going to the other side and ascending another flight of stairs.

"Crap, how many floors does this tower have? We're been running up thousands of steps without encountering a single enemy," Ichigo muttered. "Where are they hiding?"

"Relax. If we haven't encountered any Royal Guards yet, then they are most likely hiding near the top," Ryuken explained.

"Still, it would be good if we could move a little faster," Ishida suggested. "We could blow a hole in the roof and Shunpo or Hirenkyaku upwards."

"But Sado and our fifth division wouldn't be able to keep up," Rukia pointed out.

"Oh right," Ichigo remembered. "I guess we have no choice but to keep running." A few minutes later they arrived at another floor, this time a rather spacious interior garden with rows of flowers and trees leading into a circular room with a domed ceiling. This time there was someone waiting for them. He was a portly looking man wearing a loose golden robe, exposing a pot belly. His ears drooped downwards and were adorned with earrings. Numerous imp-like children ran around his feet. The most disturbing thing about him was his face; it appeared to be locked in a perpetually happy grin.

"Hello there. I've been expecting you all," he spoke in an equally happy voice.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Ichigo asked, unsheathing his sword.

"I don't know. He looks kind of peaceful," Ishida noted.

"If he's peaceful, maybe we could persuade him to surrender," Rukia suggested.

"Don't judge him by appearance alone. His demeanour could be an act," Ryuken warned them. Ichigo, Ishida, Rukia and Ryuken all readied their weapons. The man was pleasantly surprised by this development.

"Oh my, so many threatening stances," he smiled. "Can't we talk it over?"

"We don't care. You're a servant of Aizen and that makes you an enemy," Ichigo replied. He was about to step forward when Sado suddenly raised an arm and stopped him.

"Wait Ichigo," Sado said. "Let me deal with him." Everyone was stunned.

"You know this guy?" Ichigo asked. Sado nodded.

"His name is Hotei Maitreya, Guardian of the King. He was the one who was ordered to keep a close watch on me during my time of incarceration in the King's Realm," he explained. Ichigo and the others were amazed at this revelation.

"So he was the one who corrupted you and forced out your inner hollow," Rukia said. Sado sweated nervously. The man called Hotei started laughing.

"My, my, you sure have grown a perchance for words, my dear Yasutora," he said. "Are these your nakama? A very interesting bunch indeed. Two Shinigamis and two Quincies, you sure have made some unusual friends."

"This is getting annoying. We should take him down right now," Ichigo said.

"No, I will handle him by myself. The rest of you should move on. You're only wasting time here," Sado said.

"I see your point. There are more enemies waiting at the top," Ishida said. Everyone else agreed. Ichigo and Rukia told Minazawa, Mariko and Tanaka to take charge of the fifth division, before they started running towards the next set of stairs along with Ishida and Ryuken. Surprisingly Hotei allowed them to pass without offering any resistance.

"Aren't you going to chase after them?" Sado asked.

"I don't see the need. Susanoo is waiting in the levels above, not to mention her Royal Highness and the King himself," Hotei explained. "Right now, I'm only interested in seeing your development." For some reason, this made Sado happy.

"This makes things easy then. All I have to do is to defeat you!" Sado shouted. He flared out his reiatsu and activated his armoured arms. His right arm had a shield that looked like a hollow mouth; his left arm was bone white and resembled a skeleton's. Minazawa, Mariko, Tanaka and the other members of the fifth division were terrified by the sudden change in appearance of Sado. Hotei on the other hand merely looked pleased.

"So you've brought out your arms that quickly eh? You certainly look eager for a fight," Hotei smiled. As soon as he finished speaking, Sado leaped right in front of him and punched him hard in the face. Hotei was sent flying across the garden and into the walls of the circular room in a huge explosion.

"Holy Shit!" Tanaka exclaimed, as Minazawa and Tanaka ordered the other members of the fifth division to escape the crossfire. Sado stomped into the circular room and waited for Hotei to pick himself out.

"Dear me, what a punch!" Hotei laughed. "I certainly wasn't prepared for it." As the dust cleared the Royal Guard emerged with a nasty bruise and blood dripping down his forehead. He wiped the dust off his robes. "You definitely have improved in strength since I last saw you."

"Of course. I've worked hard to erase the shame of serving under you," Sado said.

"What are you talking about? I wasn't your master. I merely helped you discover your true inner potential."

"What good did that do me? You unleashed the beast within me, causing me to turn on my friends and be a danger to everyone around me." Maitreya shook his head and sighed. He unsheathed his sword from his scabbard.

"If you cannot understand my reasoning then I simply have to subdue you along with the other people you brought along," Hotei said. "Open, Angida!" His Zanpakto glowed bright yellow and transformed in shape. Sado covered his eyes as the entire area was covered in a blinding light. When the light faded, Hotei was holding a golden sack in his hands.

"I'm sure you're familiar with what this bag can do," Hotei smiled. Sado gulped. He remembered the numerous items Hotei had managed to pull out of the sack during the time he had spent in captivity. _If he used the sack for peaceful purposes before, what will happen if he uses it for violent purposes?_ Sado didn't have to wait long to find out. Hotei reached into his sack and pulled out a flock of flying sparrows. They flew at Sado, biting into his skin. Sado tried to blow them away, but they kept on coming. He grimaced as the sparrows tore into his chest and face. At this moment, Minazawa, Mariko and Tanaka, who had been hiding with the other fifth division members, noticed the drop in Sado's reiatsu. They came out of hiding to take a look.

"Hey, the big guy's being attacked by something!" Tanaka exclaimed.

"Looks like a flock of sparrows to me," Minazawa said.

"Let's try to get them off him," Mariko suggested. The three of them drew out their swords and ran beside Sado. With several swings they succeeded in cutting all of the sparrows in half. Hotei was pleasantly amused.

"So the three of you have decided to help your friend after all," he said. "I truly admire your bravery." Hotei pulled something from the sack again. This time it was a literal army of small drone soldiers. Some of them wielded swords, others had tiny hand cannons. The drone soldiers rushed at the three fifth division Shinigami.

"Man, these guys are small, but they pack a wallop!" Tanaka exclaimed. He, Minazawa and Mariko were doing their hardest just trying to block the laser blasts. Several drone soldiers managed to get behind them and slashed at their legs. In an instant all three of them fell. As the drone soldiers were about to swarm over them, a foot suddenly appeared and smashed a dozen of them against the wall. The three of them looked up to see what had saved them. It was Sado. He had once again transformed himself. Now his entire body was covered in bone-white armour, with a solid chest plate, metallic knee and shin pads and a helmet that resembled a skull mask. The three hapless fifth divisions were truly terrified at what he'd become.

"Please step back," Sado said. Minazawa, Mariko and Tanaka all obliged. They had no wish to get caught up in the struggle that was to come. The drone soldiers, recognising the new threat, attacked Sado en masse. They attacked him with swords and laser beams. Sado brushed them off without a scratch. In return, he destroyed all but one of the drone soldiers with a single swooping kick.

"Impressive. You really have grown in strength," Hotei congratulated Sado. "Now I want to see if you can take on these." He opened his bag wide open and summoned a dozen or so trolls, standing nearly ten foot tall. They charged at Sado, bearing claws and teeth. Sado merely charged spirit energy in his right fist.

"El Directo," he said. In an instant he shot a massive blue beam of energy that vaporized all of the trolls into ash. Before Hotei had a chance to say anything or move, Sado was right in front of him. He charged spirit energy in his left hand and clasped his fingers into a solid fist.

"La Muerte!" Sado yelled. He punched Hotei hard in the stomach. The force of the impact created a giant crater shaped like a skull in the side of the wall, before the wall itself crumbled under the sheer force of the blow. When the smoke cleared, Hotei emerged with his severe wound in his stomach and heavy bleeding around his shoulders and forehead. The happy demeanour he had before was gone. Now his face was contorted in anger.

"This is it. You've left me no choice but to put you down," Hotei said. "Bankai!" A gigantic sphere of reiatsu engulfed his body, obscuring him from view. The sphere expanded in size before it emitted a cloud of black smoke. When the smoke cleared, Hotei emerged looking far bigger than before. He now towered over Sado, standing at over ten feet high. His body appeared to be made of pure gold, and his face again had a grinning expression, although now it resembled a creepy smile.

"I'm sure you recognise my Bankai, Yasutora Sado," Hotei spoke in an echoing voice. "Angida, Warai Hotoke." Sado sweated nervously. Horrible nightmares of being brutally beaten to near death arose in his mind, making him shudder. His brief moment of hesitation made him vulnerable to Hotei's attack. Hotei slammed his palms into Sado's face, sending him crashing against the wall. Without letting up, the Royal Guard unleashed an absolutely brutal barrage of palm attacks upon Sado, literally flattening his face and body. Sado's armour provided no protection; in fact, his armour accentuated his pain as each blow made the armour dig deep into his skin.

"Come on, put up a fight! I want you to unleash the hollow within you!" Hotei shouted. "What's the matter? Can't you do it? I thought you were made of sterner stuff than this. He started laughing maniacally as Sado gradually lost consciousness.

"**Trade places with me!**" Sado's hollow spoke in his mind.

"_No! I will rely on my own strength!_" Sado mentally shouted to his inner hollow.

"**And where has that gotten you? You're being pounded to death! I'm not going to bear the burden of a dead man. You abused my power many times before. Why don't you use me now, when you're standing at death's door?**"

"_Go away!" _Sado shouted. His inner hollow disappeared in a cackle of laughter. At this moment, Sado recalled what the Vizards has said to him when he had finished training…

"_We have only stabilized the hollowfication process inside you. As long as you don't stress yourself, your body will remain like this indefinitely. However, because your hollow wasn't completely suppressed, it may appear again if you lose control. From now on, you have to rely on your own power_." Sado then remembered the spirit of his Abuelo, whispering in his year. _"Fight with your instincts Yasutora. Trust in your own strength_."

"I will, Abuelo," Sado mouthed silently. In an instant, his reiatsu skyrocketed, blasting Hotei a dozen feet backward. Hotei was stunned at Sado's sudden power-up.

"What is this? Your spiritual pressure is through the roof! Yet you're not relying on your hollow," Hotei said with concern. Sado appeared right in front of him.

"Of course not. Abusing my inner hollow was a mistake. From now on, I will rely on my own strength to win!" Sado shouted. He punched Hotei hard in the chest, cracking through his outer 'skin'. Sado began a relentless barrage of punches that completely tore through Hotei's outer armour. Once the armour had cracked, Sado continued to wail on Hotei, dealing him the same treatment as Hotei had inflicted on him. Sado finished with a combined El Directo and La Muerte punch that blasted Hotei through several walls until he landed right against the outer wall of the tower.

As soon as he was satisfied that Hotei was defeated but not dead, Sado released the armour from his body and collapsed onto his back completely exhausted. The last thing Sado saw before he lost consciousness was the sight of the three fifth division members standing over him, trying to shake him awake.

Notes: Sorry the chapter took so long. I had a bad patch of writer's block at the beginning, not to mention a lot of work to do. It was difficult planning out the two battles, as they are probably the least exciting in the entire Heavenly War arc. Neverthless, there is some interesting development here. I am sure the Urahara vs Hikifune battle will be contraversial. I shaped Hikifune's character around the Bodhisattva Guanyin, or Kannon in Japanese, not only in appearance but also in her Zanpakto. I also touched upon Hikifune's relationship with Hiyori; I considered that Hiyori would have felt personally betrayed when Hikifune abandoned the division.

Kannon: This is Hikifune's Zanpakto. Its named after the Bodhsattva Guanyin's Japanese name. Reflecting Guanyin's myhology, I styled Hikifune's Zanpakto to resemble a spectral version of the goddess. Her Bankai, Kannon Avalokitesavara, is a combination of Guanyin's Japanese and Buddhist names. It is a continuation of Guanyin's symbolism, being a representation of the goddess as the a being of a thousand arms.

Ketsueki Otome Benihime: This is Urahara's Bankai. Its name means Blood Maiden Benihime in Japanese. I fashioned Urahara's Bankai out of the moves he had already demonstrated, along with the associations with the name Benihime, and also the comment that Urahara made about his Bankai not being suitable for training. I figured his Bankai would be something that inflicts a great deal of damage both the enemy and himself, thus Urahara tries to refrain from using it.

Hotei Maitreya: This Royal Guard is based on one of the Seven Lucky Gods of the same name, the one that is commonly called the Laughing Buddha. I gave Hotei many of the traits the god he is based on possessed, such as the lucky sack, his smilng face and his pot belly. However, I needed to give him some connection to Sado, so I thought it would be good to have him be the one who experimented on Sado and caused his inner hollow to start possessing him.

Angida: This is Hotei's Zanpakto. Its name is based on the Indian monk who is commonly associated with Hotei. It's literally a golden sack, similar to the one the real god is depicting as carrying. Like the real sack, Hotei's sack can summon any object he wants out of thin air, but usually he likes to summon demon-like children and small animals. His Bankai, Warai Hotoke, or Laughing Buddha in Japanese, transforms Hotei literally into the god himself, as he is depicted in paintings and sculptures.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has sent in reviews so far. Your feedback has been much apreciated.


	36. Chapter 36: Light and Darkness

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach Fan story: ****After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: The Great Heavenly War rages on. Having invaded the King's Realm, the Gotei 13 use a gigantic phoenix construct made from the remnants of the Sokyoku to penetrate the Palace Walls. After the Royal Guards defending the outer city are eliminated, Urahara sent down Isshin to lower the drawbridge into the Citadel of Heavens. Isshin defeats the Royal Guard who was defending the drawbridge, but in the process demolishes half the drawbridge. With nowhere to land, Urahara makes a final move to crash the now separated Phoenix head into the Citadel itself. He, Ichigo and the remainder of the Gotei 13 still on board survive the crash largely unscathed, but are confronted by the former captain of 12th division, now Royal Guard, Hikifune Kirio. Telling Ichigo and the others to go on ahead, Urahara takes on Hikifune with Hiyori by his side. In an emotional battle that pushed each of them to their limits, Urahara and Hiyori narrowly suceed in defeating Hikifune, but at great personal cost. Shortly afterwards, Ichigo, Ishida, Rukia, Sado, Ryuken and the fifth division are confronted by the Royal Guard Hotei halfway up the citadel. Sado orders Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and his father to move on, as he and the fifth division fought all out to defeat the man who had been Sado's master during his four years in captivity. With only two Royal Guards left, Ichigo is closing in on Aizen...

* * *

Chapter 36: Light and Darkness

Renji and Lisa ran down a long flight of stairs, followed closely by the rest of their division. They had gone past several floors already, and with every floor they descended, the lighting began to dim. Now, every single Shinigami was running with a miniature light source in front of them, trying to see in what was nearly complete darkness.

"Damn, it's almost pitch black down here," Renji complained. "One wrong step and we're likely to fall to our deaths."

"Isn't that obvious captain?" Lisa asked, pushing up her glasses. A few minutes later they arrived at what appeared to be the very bottom floor of the citadel, the underground chambers. The area was somewhat better lit than the stairs they had gone down, with torches illuminating a substantial open area.

"Alright, let's try to find where Hitsugaya's team went," Renji said. He and his division started walking through the underground chambers, adopting a rectangular formation. Renji was extra careful to ensure their flanks were well protected. Every now then they heard an ominous echo in the distance. Renji ordered his men to a halt and made sure they were silent.

"Do you hear that?" he whispered to Lisa.

"Sounds like footsteps," Lisa replied. "Perhaps we're being followed."

"We should stay alert. Who knows what's down here?" Renji asked. His division continued to walk along the underground chamber, making sure to check any nook and crannies along the wall. Some time later, the underground chamber widened out into an enormous cavern with literally hundreds of pillars. Renji ordered his division to stick together and slowly advance forward.

"Captain, I've found something!" One of Renji's men exclaimed. He was pointing at the body of a person lying on the floor. Renji and Lisa bent down and checked it. They realized what it was.

"It's a body of a Shinigami, most probably from the tenth division," Lisa said.

"Then Hitsugaya's division did make it down here," Renji said. "What the hell happened to them?"

"Tee hee hee, want to know?" a creepy voice echoed throughout the chamber, causing everyone to unsheathe their swords in fright.

"Who goes there?" Renji asked in a loud voice that appeared to echo across the entire cavern. The unknown voice began to laugh in maniacally.

"My, my, you Shinigami really are stupid. I can't believe you fell for the same trap again," the voice said. In an instant the underground cavern lit up in a flash and Renji's division found themselves surrounded by over a hundred Tengu and Akuma soldiers. Leading this group was a dark-haired man wearing a black trench coat and matching pants. The most unusual aspect of his appearance was his eyes. One pupil was blue, the other was brown. In addition, he appeared to have a monocle over his left eye.

"Who are you?" Renji asked. "Are you a Royal Guard?"

"Of course. Did you expect I was someone else?" the man replied smugly. "I am Tsukuyomi, son of Izanagi, Guardian of the King."

"So, you're the son of the former Spirit King," Lisa said. "Why then do you serve Aizen? Your father is imprisoned at the moment. Am I correct?"

"That hardly matters. He and I were never very close. Amaterasu was his favourite and I always resented the attention he focused on her. He practically disowned me after I accidentally killed a fellow royal guard. At least Aizen-dono treats me as a valued servant."

"Is that so?" Renji asked. "You must be delusional if you think Aizen treats you as anything other than a worthless underling." He unsheathed his sword. "Regardless, I'm not here to talk. Did your men slaughter a group of Shinigami who came down here earlier?" Tsukuyomi snickered, finding amusement in Renji's ire.

"Why are you surprised? The underground chamber is my domain. Anyone who trespasses my territory will be dealt with extreme prejudice," he replied.

"If that's the case…" Renji Shunpo-ed into the air. "I'll deal with you the same way!" He released Zabimaru without chanting, extending his Zanpakto out and slashing downwards at Tsukuyomi. The Royal Guard calmly blocked it with his Zanpakto.

"Lisa, tell the others to confront the enemy soldiers!" Renji ordered.

"Right on!" Lisa replied. She led the eighth division members on a furious charge into the ranks of the Tengu and Akuma, engaging them in a blood battle.

"Hey, shouldn't you be paying attention to me?" Tsukuyomi asked with a grin. He punched Renji hard in the face with his left hand, sending him flying into a pillar. Renji quickly got onto his feet again and stared at Tsukuyomi. _What a punch! My cheek bone's almost fractured. _Renji gritted his teeth. He knew he couldn't win using straight forward attacks. He pointed his left hand at Tsukuyomi and shouted "Hadou 31, Shakaho!" He fired a red ball of energy at Tsukuyomi. The Royal Guard jumped up to avoid the blast, allowing it to explode against a pillar. He failed to notice Renji, who had jumped in the air at the same time. Renji thrust his whip at Tsukuyomi's chest. Tsukuyomi managed to block the attack and deflect the sword away. Renji however, had a surprise. He managed to turn Zabimaru in mid air and strike at Tsukuyomi's back. The Royal Guard failed to dodge in time and was sliced across the back. Renji returned Zabimaru to normal as he saw blood flow down Tsukuyomi's back. Tsukuyomi was not amused.

"You're the third person to have hurt me after my father and brother," he said.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" Renji grinned.

"No, it's a warning. Apart from my father and brother, anyone who injures me will be certain to die a horrific death chosen by me," Tsukuyomi stated.

"Oh, am I supposed to be scared by it? I wonder if you can actually follow through on that threat," Renji tried to goad him.

"Prepare to die!" Tsukuyomi yelled. "Stalk and Consume, Yamikage!" A blob like entity, completely black in colour, rose out of his Zanpakto and dropped to the ground. It skited across the ground until it was beside Renji's feet.

"What the hell is this?" Renji asked, noticing that his shadow had seemingly been overtaken by the dark shape. He tried jumping up and to the side, but the shape followed his every movement.

"I'm glad you asked," Tsukuyomi grinned. This is my Zanpakto. When I release it, it takes the form of a shadow demon that attaches to an enemy's shadow and starts consuming them." Renji screamed as he felt the dark shape crawl up his body. As it did so, he felt his spirit energy disappear. _Shit, he's devouring my reiatsu! I'd better do something quickly!_ He pointed his left finger at the floor. "Hadou 21, Kuro Enkou!" A beam of black fire shot out. It touched the portion of the dark shape that was still on the ground and set it alight. Renji jumped into the air as the fire began to spread, completely incinerating the dark shape. Unfortunately, a remnant of the dark shape was still crawling up his body, draining his energy as it went. Renji tried getting it off, but it was hopeless. Just as it was about to reach his neck, he heard a voice shout, "Dominate, Sureibu Okami!"

Nine whip-like ropes shot out and latched onto the dark shape. With a great heave, Lisa pulled it off Renji's neck and flung it onto the ground. She cast Hadou 21 upon the remaining portion, incinerating it completely.

"Thanks Lisa, you saved my life," Renji complimented her.

"No need to thank me. I was just doing my job," Lisa replied. "The Tengu and Akuma have all been disposed of. Only ten of our members were injured" Renji nodded.

"Did you hear that?" he asked Tsukuyomi. "Your men are all dead, and we've trashed your shadow demon. What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?"

"Huh, don't get cocky yet. My Zanpakto can generate more shadow demons. Like this!" He emitted five more dark blobs and directed them to attack Renji and Lisa. Before they even got within ten feet of them, Renji shouted "Bankai!" A giant sphere of red reiatsu surrounded his body, obscuring it from view. A few seconds later the sphere turned into a cloud of smoke that slowly dissipated. When it cleared, Renji was revealed holding a gargantuan skeletal snake in his right hand. He had discarded his captain's haori during the process, resorting to just his normal Shinigami robes covered by his trademark baboon cape. "Hihio Zabimaru," he said.

"So that is your Bankai," Tsukuyomi said. "Not bad at all. But what can it do to my shadow demons?" He ordered his dark blobs to strike out. Renji sent his snake forward, attacking Tsukuyomi directly. Tsukuyomi hastily tried to pull his shadow demons back, but it was too late. The giant snake slammed into him, sending him flying into a pillar. Renji then split his snake into its component segments and concentrated them around the fallen Royal Guard.

"It's over!" Renji shouted. "Higa Zekko!" In an instant the individual segments slammed down upon Tsukuyomi in a thundering explosion, demolishing numerous surrounding pillars. When the smoke cleared however, Tsukuyomi's body was nowhere to be seen. Renji and Lisa looked around, trying to sense where he went.

"Looking for me?" Tsukuyomi asked, appearing right behind Renji. Renji quickly Shunpo-ed away, hastily reforming Zabimaru.

"How did you escape my Higa Zekko? I was certain I had you," he said.

"I thought it was obvious. I merely used Bakudou 85, Denkou Garandou, to teleport to a different place," Tsukuyomi replied. Despite the failure of his attack, Renji had clearly succeeded in wounding Tsukuyomi. The Royal Guard was bleeding profusely from his forehead and left cheek, and had sustained a serious bruise in his right shoulder.

"For the damage you've caused me, I shall deal all of it, and twice more back to you!" Tsukuyomi shouted. "Bankai!" In an instant the entire underground cavern was covered in darkness. Then a bright circular light shaped like the moon suddenly appeared in the ceiling of the cavern, casting an eerie glow throughout the cavern. In addition the flat-shaped moon emitted a singular beam of light down to the ground, from which Tsukuyomi suddenly appeared, much to the shock of Renji and Lisa.

"Surprised? This is my Bankai, Kokudo Getsu, Yamikage," Tsukuyomi explained. "You may have not noticed it but I used it before to cover the underground level in darkness. That however, was just a mere child's play compared to the show I'm going to put on for you. Arise, Shadow demons!" With a swing of his arms, he summoned a swarm of tiny malevolent black imps by his side. Renji, Lisa and the eighth division members tensed at the sudden appearance of these creatures.

"So that's what the shadow demons really look like," Renji said.

"Indeed. You're in my world now, and we play by my rules!" Tsukuyomi shouted. The shadow demons rushed in a frenzied state at Renji and Lisa, thirsting for their flesh. Renji swung Zabimaru in a horizontal arc in an attempt to smash the imps in one swoop, but to his surprise they easily avoided the giant bone snake's movements and got within an arm's length of his body. Renji realized he had left himself wide open.

"Shit!" he yelled as nearly a dozen of the demons jumped onto him and began tearing away at his face, chest and limps. "Lisa, are you there? I'm in trouble here!"

"I've got problems of my own!" Lisa responded. She was busy trying to fling off a pair of demons that had bitten onto her legs and were now chomping through her skin. She heard a chorus of screams as the remaining demons attacked her fellow eighth division members, devouring a few unfortunate souls within minutes.

"Ha, ha, ha, what a miserable fate! To be torn to shreds like this!" Tsukuyomi laughed maniacally. "It brings tears to my eyes." His laughter was cut short when the pack of demons that had been feasting on Renji were suddenly blown into a million pieces. Renji emerged from the carnage, torrents of blood flowing down his face and his now bare chest, but he was still standing. His appearance had dramatically changed. The huge baboon snake he had been holding was gone. In its place were two sharp metallic claws attached to Renji's hands. His baboon fur coat had enlarged to cover his entire back, most of his chest, all of his arms, and also formed a hood over his head

"If seeing people get eaten brings tears to your eyes, then what about this?" Renji asked. "Prepare to taste the wrath of my Bankai's second form, Kyousei Saru!"

"As if I'd be afraid of a monkey man!" Tsukuyomi insulted Renji. "Try to find me in complete darkness!" With a click of his fingers the cut-out of the moon disappeared and the entire cavern was now truly pitch blank. Renji however was far from deterred.

"As if I can't see in the darkness," he said. "Hihi Joukei!" In an instant his eyes turned a bright red and now he could see everything around him in an infrared tone. He spotted where Tsukuyomi was and Shunpo-ed right in front of him. Tsukuyomi didn't even have time to raise his sword before Renji slashed across his chest with his right claw. Blood spurted out his body, splattering across the ground. The omnipresent darkness that had drenched the cavern shattered, replaced by a naturally ambient light that illuminated the shadows. Tsukuyomi Shunpo-ed away, trying to keep his distance from Renji.

"Damn you!" he swore. "No one has been able to see through the darkness!"

"That makes me the first one to do so," Renji said nonchalantly. He glanced at Lisa, who winked at him. She took out her Vizard mask, nearly doubling her reiatsu. Still trying to stem the bleeding, Tsukuyomi started walking backwards, knowing that he was now seriously outmatched.

"What's the matter? Are you too afraid to fight us? Or maybe you've realized that you stand no chance?" Renji asked. Tsukuyomi glared at Renji with the frenzied expression of a madman.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not fucking afraid of you guys!" he shouted. Taking up his sword, Tsukuyomi Shunpo-ed into the air. Renji and Lisa simply smiled; Tsukuyomi had given them the perfect opening. Renji charged up a gigantic energy ball with both palms; Lisa charged a cero blast from her index and middle fingers. As Tsukuyomi realized his fatal error, both Renji and Lisa unleashed their attacks. Tsukuyomi screamed as he was engulfed by the energy blasts. The resultant explosion shook the foundations of the citadel, carving an immense hole in the ceiling of the cavern, along with a five hundred yard crater in the ground.

With most of their spirit energy spent, Renji and Lisa returned to their unreleased states and took a breather. Both of them had suffered grievous flesh wounds from being mauled by the shadow demons. Before he joined the rest of his division, Renji, walked to where Tsukuyomi's body lay and was surprised to discover that he was still breathing.

"How is he?" Lisa asked, crouching down beside Renji.

"He's barely clinging to life, but I think he'll survive," Renji said. "Let's have a rest now. We've fought long enough."

* * *

Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Ryuken had finally reached what appeared to be the very top of the stairs. They took a brief moment to catch their breaths, after going up a seemingly endless series of floors. The corridor in front of them opened out into a vast circular chamber, topped by a magnificent glass ceiling. Etched into the ceiling's surface were sparkling colored murals resembling legendary figures or mythical beings. The entire chamber resembled a temple of sorts, broken only by two sets of stairs that ran along the sides of the walls and linked up with the ceiling.

"Are you sure this is the very top of the tower?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't know. It looks like there's a set of stairs that lead up to the ceiling," Ishida pointed with his fingers.

"Check it out, someone's been waiting for us to come up here," Rukia said. They stared at the man who was standing in the centre of the chamber. He was a blonde-haired, quite dashing young man with blue eyes. He was wearing a blue overcoat with a raised collar. Around his neck was a bright blue diamond embedded in a necklace. A standard sword with an antique guard hung loosely by his side. Ichigo was concerned about the spiritual pressure that was emanating from him even in such a relaxed state; it was incredibly high. Ichigo quickly unsheathed his sword just in case.

"You must be a royal guard," he said to the blonde man.

"That is correct," the man nodded. "I am Susanoo, Guardian of the King, eldest son of Izanagi."

"Izanagi…wasn't he the former Spirit King?" Rukia asked. "That must mean you're part of the Royal Family. Why then do you serve Aizen instead of your own father?"

"I got sick of his powerlessness. He was nothing more than a figure head," Susanoo shrugged. "In the two hundred years since we were cast into a separate dimension, Soul Society decayed into a festering sore. Aizen has promised to change it and bring it back to what it once was."

"So that's your reason for serving him. I hate to say this but you're another victim of Aizen's lies," Ichigo said. "I don't know what you think but the truth is he's nothing more than a tyrant who deserves to be toppled!" Ichigo was about to charge at Susanoo when Ryuken suddenly pulled his collar.

"Wait Kurosaki, let me and Uryu deal with him," Ryuken said. "You and Kuchiki have bigger fish to handle, like Aizen and your former friend Orihime." Ichigo and Rukia nodded. They started Shunpo-ing up the stairs, but were stopped by Susanoo.

"Where do you think you're going?" Susanoo asked.

"To kill Aizen and rescue Inoue of course!" Ichigo exclaimed. Susanoo smiled.

"You'd be too late. As we speak, Aizen-dono is preparing to ascend to a higher plane, taking my dear sister Amaterasu with him. His throne room has now detached itself from the rest of the citadel. Even if you get past me, which you won't, how do you expect to gain entry?" Ichigo was unmoved by Susanoo's taunt.

"I'll find a way," Ichigo replied. Just as Susanoo was about to unsheathe his sword, his right hand was struck by two arrows. He glared down at Ishida and Ryuken, his face contorted in rage. In an instant he Shunpo-ed to the ground and charged at the two Quincies.

"Go Kurosaki! We'll hold him off!" Ishida exclaimed. He and his father avoided Susanoo's initial slash and jumped towards the stairs.

"Okay, take care of yourselves!" Ichigo called out. He and Rukia Shunpo-ed up the stairs and disappeared into the ceiling. Ishida had a small grin on his face.

"What's so funny?" Susanoo asked. "Are you happy that you allowed your nakama to escape? They stand no chance against Aizen. You've just sent them to their deaths. Likewise, the two of you have sealed your fates…by challenging me!" Susanoo Shunpo-ed in front of Ishida and thrust his sword forwards. Ishida narrowly avoided being stabbed in the chest, but Susanoo's blade still managed to tear across his left arm. Ishida performed a series of somersaults and landed on his knees, breathing heavily. Susanoo followed up by swiping at Ryuken, who leaped clear of the blade and shot a hundred arrows within ten seconds at Susanoo's head. All of them were easily parried away. Susanoo retaliated by pointing his left hand at Ryuken and shouted "Hadou 59, Hishou Kakei!" A foot long wooden stake shot out of his hand and impaled Ryuken's right left. Ryuken gasped and fell to the ground. He quickly staunched the bleeding around his wound, before pulling the stake out in one clear motion. As Ishida and his father patched themselves with Ransotengai, they tried to think of a way to defeat Susanoo.

"I recognize that technique," Susanoo commented. "Ransotengai isn't it? A move that Quincies use to keep on fighting even when their limbs have been shattered. I take it the two of you must be Quinicies."

"What do you know about the Quincies?" Ishida asked. Susanoo smirked.

"Oh I know a lot about them. Two hundred years ago I slaughtered hundreds of Quinicies when they tried to kill all of the hollows in existence, a stupid move that almost caused the collapse of the universe," he explained. Susanoo's words triggered a deep seated emotion within Ryuken. He fired a powerful arrow that succeeded in grazing Susanoo's cheek.

"So you're the one who was responsible for the great massacre," Ryuken said. "I've heard stories passed through the generations about that event, and I could never forget the image of the seemingly noble Shinigami who gleefully murdered my fellow Quinicies with ruthless abandon. That person was you then."

"What do you plan on doing about it?" Susanoo asked. "Despite my appearance I've lived for hundreds of years, and the blood of Izanagi runs strongly in my veins. You mortals stand no chance against me."

"Oh yeah, we'll see about that!" Ishida exclaimed. He glanced in the direction of his father. Both of them agreed it was time for action. In a simultaneous display they summoned their familiars beside them, Ishida with Kojaku and Ryuken with Washi.

"Ah, the Quincy familiars," Susanoo grinned evilly. "It's been a long time since I've seen them." Ishida and Ryuken were surprised that he knew about them.

"Is that so? Then perhaps you're familiar with what they can do!" Ryuken shouted. He commanded his eagle to fly at Susanoo and attack him. Susanoo easily avoided the eagle's beak, but failed to see Ishida's Kojaku fly in front of his face. Ishida ordered his sparrow to temporarily blind Susanoo's eyes. This allowed Ryuken to order his eagle to send a hail of razor-sharp feathers directly at Susanoo, impaling him with thousands of tiny blades. Susanoo blasted all of the blades out with a flaring of his reiatsu, but this action made him vulnerable to attack from behind. Ishida took the opportunity to slash across his midriff with a Seele Schneider, stealing valuable spirit energy from him. In a rage, Susanoo tried to slash at his head, but Ishida easily dodged it and landed beside Ryuken.

"You fucking Quincies!" Susanoo swore. "I've had enough of your annoying tricks and gadgets! Let me show you what real power is. Gather the clouds of heaven, Kusanagi!" His Zanpakto glowed a bright blue, emitting sparks of pulsating yellow energy. The bare metal that formerly made up the blade became liquid-like plasma, seemingly solid and liquid simultaneously. Ishida and Ryuken stared at it in awe.

"This is my Zanpakto. I obtained it by slaying the legendary Vasto Lorde, Yamata no Orochi, countless centuries ago. No other Zanpakto, let alone a mortal blade, compares to it in sharpness or cutting power," Susanoo explained. Ishida noticed the worried look on his father's face, and realized he was trembling.

"What's wrong father?" he asked.

"I've heard about that sword. It was the weapon he used to massacre hundreds of our race," Ryuken spoke nervously. "Even our sharpest Seele Schneiders were no match for it." Susanoo was amused at Ryuken's expression.

"So, you've heard about the power of my Zanpakto, eh? Well then I shall give you a taste of it first hand!" he exclaimed. Susanoo Shunpo-ed in front of Ishida and slashed at his waist. Ishida blocked using his Seele Schneider, but like his father said, his fighting tool was no match for the Kusanagi, easily snapping in half. Ishida screamed as Susanoo slashed a deep wound across his waist, causing massive amounts of blood to spill out. Ishida collapsed onto his knees, clutching his stomach in an attempt to staunch the bleeding.

"Uryu are you okay?" Ryuken asked, tending to his son.

"I'm alright. I can patch up this wound using Ransotengai," Ishida said.

"Hey, you should be worrying about your own safety!" Susanoo exclaimed. He thrust his sword at Ryuken's face, cutting a deep wound across his cheek. Ryuken somersaulted backwards and barely managed to land on his feet again. He applied a patch to his face to stem the bleeding. Susanoo raised his sword in the air and fired what appeared to be a blast of pure energy. Ryuken and Ishida both dodged the attack, allowing it to slam against the walls of the chamber in an explosion.

"Damn, our current strength is no match for him," Ishida swore. "I have no choice but to go all out." He thought about going final form, but he realized he wasn't wearing Sanrei gloves.

"Wait, Uryu, let me handle him," Ryuken said. "Final form is still too much for you."

"But what will you do? You can't go Final form either," Ishida said,

"Don't worry about me. I have something up my sleeve," Ryuken replied. He whispered to his eagle, Taishita Washi and spoke the command "_Eintracht aus Geist_". The great eagle dissipated into spirit particles, which subsequently bonded with Ryuken. His body shimmered as it was engulfed with reiatsu. Spirit threads appeared and joined together, solidifying until they formed shining blue breast plate that covered his entire torso. His bow changed into a cannon that started drawing in spirit particles from the chamber walls. Susanoo was astounded at the sight of Ryuken's transformed state.

"What the hell is this?" he asked.

"This is Obliterator, my most powerful technique," Ryuken explained. "Quincies who have mastered final form can achieve this state where they can channel a limitless amount of spirit particles into their bodies."

"Ah yes, I remember them now," Susanoo smiled. "I encountered loads of these super-powered Quincies when they tried to storm the Soul Society. It's a shame that they all died in vain." Ryuken charged up his cannon before firing a concentrated beam of energy direct at Susanoo. The Royal Guard blocked it with his Kusanagi, but the beam, instead of rebounding off, started pushing him backwards. Susanoo tried to deflect the beam in another direction, but this merely made the beam much wider. Ryuken continued to continuously fire his energy beam, he motioned to Ishida. Ishida nodded, knowing the strategy he had been told to execute during their planning sessions. Using Hirenkyaku to teleport across the chamber, Ishida planted his Seele Schneiders in a pentagram surrounding Susanoo. The Royal Guard, despite knowing that Ishida was behind him, failed to realize what he was doing until Ryuken stopped firing. Susanoo gripped his Kusanagi tightly and tried Shunpo-ing forward, but to his utter shock, his entire lower body was immobilized.

"What the fuck? I can't move my legs!" Susanoo exclaimed.

"Of course you can't," Ishida smirked. "As you were distracted by my father's attack, I took the opportunity to enclose you inside a Quincy pentagram. With the Seele Schneiders in position, all I need to do is to pour some of my spirit energy in and it will initiate Sprenger." Susanoo's eyes widened at the mention of that name. He had seen Quincies use it in the past and knew know devastating it could be. He tried to escape the lock, but Ishida was too fast. He poured a ginto tube of liquid into one of the Seele Schneiders. A second later the entire pentagram was engulfed by a mushroom-cloud shaped explosion powerful to shatter the entire glass ceiling. When the smoke cleared, Susanoo emerged with half of his coat and pants burnt off and his skin severely singed. He coughed up blood from his mouth.

"Damn you Quincies! Were it not the Danku I erected at the last minute, I really would have been dead," Susanoo growled. "Now you shall taste the full extent of my wrath! Bankai!" In an instant he was surrounded by an immense aura of blue reiatsu, completely obscuring him from view. Ishida and Ryuken covered their eyes as the aura emitted a blinding light. After the aura faded, Susanoo was revealed again. This time in addition to his Kusanagi sword he was holding a four foot long shield covered in a shimmering blue mirror. His entire body was now covered in what resembled blue plate armour.

"This is my Bankai, Kusanagi no Tsurugi, Yata no Kagami," Susanoo said. I hold in my hands two of the most legendary weapons in Soul Society; the ultimate sword and the ultimate shield. Neither of you stand a chance against me."

"We'll see about that!" Ishida shouted. He took a Seele Schneider from the ground and fired it at Susanoo. The oversized arrow easily bounced off the mirror shield.

"Let me do this," Ryuken said. He supercharged his cannon and fired a concentrated beam of energy at Susanoo. Susanoo blocked the beam with his shield. To Ryuken's amazement, the beam was absorbed by the shield, causing Susanoo to increase his reiatsu.

"Ah, what a delightful boost that was," Susanoo crowed in ecstasy. "I shall use the energy you've given me to destroy you!" He Shunpo-ed in front of Ryuken and slashed him across the torso. Ryuken's chest plate armour was no match for the Kusanagi, easily shattering into pieces. Ryuken gasped in pain. Blood spurted from a gaping wound to his torso as he toppled onto his back.

"Father!" Ishida screamed. He tried firing another Seele Schneider at Susanoo, but the Royal Guard easily avoided the arrow and batted him to the floor with the shield.

"It's over," Susanoo said. "Father and the son, the last of the Quinicies. Be proud that you died by my hands." As Ishida crawled on his hands and knees beside his father, Ryuken used what was left of his strength to hand his son something.

"Take this Uryu. It is time for you to unlock the weapon I told you about during our training session," Ryuken croaked. Ishida nodded. He looked at the item his father had given him. It was a diamond crystal, shaped into a Quincy Cross. Ishida knew what to do with it. As Susanoo brought his sword down upon Ishida's head, Ishida fused the cross with his body. In an instant he was engulfed an immense sphere of reiatsu that literally blasted Susanoo into the walls of the chamber. As Susanoo got to his feat, he looked up and gasped in astonishment. Ishida was standing upright, wearing a similar blue breast plate that his father had worn. In addition, two giant angelic wings sprouted from his back, gathering spirit particles from the walls around him. His head was covered by a helmet with a black visor. His bow had grown in size; now it was over seven foot in length. Ishida turned his attention to Susanoo, who was shaking in his boots.  
"What the hell is this? I've never seen a Quincy have so much power in my life!" he exclaimed. He raised his shield as he saw Ishida charge a gigantic arrow in his right hand.

"I'll tell you what this is," Ishida explained. "This is Gotterdammerung, the ultimate manifestation of a Quincy's power. With it, I have complete command of all the spirit particles in this realm. And I will use them all to defeat you!" He drew in a truly immense amount of spirit particles from the walls, almost stripping the chamber bare, and formed a compact but immensely powerful arrow. He pointed it at Susanoo and fired it. The Yata no Kagami shield was no match for the power of the arrow, shattering into a thousand pieces. Susanoo screamed as he was pierced through his soul chain, collapsing onto his stomach. The arrow smashed right through the walls of the citadel and exploded in a spectacular fireball high above the palace.

Having spent all of his spirit energy, Ishida lost his supercharged bow and armour and returned to his normal state. He then knelt beside his father. Upon checking Ryuken's pulse, he realized he wasn't breathing

"Father, are you alright? Speak to me!" Ishida shouted. He hastily applied Ransotengai and other Quincy healing techniques in an attempt to revive his father, but they failed. "No, this can't be happening. He couldn't possibly be dead!" For the first time since the death of his grandfather, Ishida Uryu sobbed uncontrollably.

* * *

The last of the Royal Guards has fallen, and now nothing stands between Ichigo and Rukia from Aizen and Orihime. The climax of the Heavenly War draws near!

Notes: This was both a difficult and interesting chapter to do, as it not only provided a showcase for the all the moves and powers Renji, Lisa, Ishida and Ryuken have demonstrated in the story so far, but it also featured two characters who are named after two of the most famous Japanese gods, as well as being two of the most infamous moves in Naruto. I had to tread carefully with Tsukuyomi and Susanoo so that I avoided any explicit references to Itachi's MS moves.

Tsukuyomi: Based on the Japanese God of the moon. Like the god he is named after, he had a difficult relationship with his father and despised the way he treated his sister. His Zanpakto, Yamikage (Dark Shadow in Japanese), was drawn from a number of references, including the Tsukuyomi featured in Naruto, and surprisingly enough both Blackbeard and Moria's devil fruits from One Piece, in that it essentially consists of a shadow demon that can devour the spirit energy of other souls. His Bankai, Kokudo Getsu (Nightmare realm in Japanese) is a more literal interpretation of the god Tsukuyomi's association with the moon and the underworld, creating a pitch black dimension similar to Tousen's Bankai, except that instead of taking away the senses, it just sucks up all the light in a place.

Hadou 21, Kuro Enkou: This is one of the Kidou spells I made up myelf. Its Japanese for Black flames

Bakudou 85, Denkou Garandou: Another of one of the Kidou spells I created. It means Lightning Void in Japanese.

Hihi Joukei: Means Baboon Sight or eyes in Japanese. This is one of Renji's abilities when he is in his Second Bankai form. It allows him to see in the dark using infrared vision. I sort of based it on how some monkeys have excellent night vision.

Susanoo: Based on the Japanese god of the sea, I stuck much closer to the mythology associated with the god, not only in terms of his relationship to his father and siblings, but to his lergendary deed of killing the Yamata no Orochi, which I presumed was a Vasto Lorde of incredible power. His Zanpakto is directly based on the mythical items the god Susanoo is associated with. His Shikai, Kusanagi, resembles the mythical sword of the same name. His Bankai adds on the other notable legendary item Susanoo is associated with, the Yata no Kagami mirror.

Gotterdammarung: Meaning 'Twilight of the gods' in German, the name obviously comes from Wagner's Niebelung Saga. I thought for ages trying to think up an ultimate move that Ishida could use to defeat Susanoo, but I eventually settled pretty much on a named version of Ishida's Final form. The name and the image of the Valkyrie wings is a nice link to the german and norse style of both Ishida and Ryuken.

Finally, I thank everyone who has sent in reviews so far. For those who have stuck with this story, the climax is just around the corner. Stay tuned!


	37. Chapter 37: Sun Princess Awakening

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach Fan story: ****After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: The Great Heavenly War has reached its climax. After the phoenix crash into the Citadel of Heavens, Ichigo, Rukia, Renji, Ishida, Sado, Lisa, Ryuken and the 5th and 8th divisions begin their assault on the citadel itself. Urahara and Hiyori stay behind to fight Hikifune, whilst Sado is soon confronted with the Royal Guard who had kept him incarcerated in his four years of imprisonment. Renji, Lisa and their division infiltrate the undergound caverns for any signs of Hitsugaya's division, but are greeted with a chilling surprise when the Royal Guard Tsukuyomi, member of the Royal family, ambushes them from the shadows. Using their combined powers, Renji and Lisa suceed in defeating Tsukuyomi. At the other end of the citadel, Ishida and Ryuken engage in a titanic battle against Tsukuyomi's brother Susanoo to allow time for Ichigo and Rukia to run to the top of the tower. In a climatic finish, Ryuken gives Ishida the remainer of his powers, making Ishida strong enough to defeat Susanoo in one strike. Now, Ichigo and Rukia have reached the top of the citadel. Aizen's throne room awaits...

* * *

Chapter 37: Sun Princess Awakening

Ichigo and Rukia smashed open a trap door and arrived at what appeared to be the roof of the citadel. Gale force winds blew across the surface, making it a struggle just to stay upright.

"This can't be the top of the citadel! Where's the entrance to Aizen's throne room?" Ichigo asked. He looked around the surface of the roof but found nothing.

"Ichigo, look up there!" Rukia exclaimed. She pointed her hand upwards. Ichigo lifted his head and gasped in shock. Floating about a hundred feet above them and gradually ascending higher into the sky was an enormous floating castle, miles wide in diameter. It tapered at the bottom to a gigantic semicircular dome with a circular platform at the very bottom.

"There's an entrance in the middle of that dome that we can use to get in," Ichigo said.

"But how will we get up there? Even if we Shunpo upwards there doesn't appear to be a surface we can grab hold to," Rukia expressed her concern.

"Don't worry, I've got it covered," Ichigo smiled. He unsheathed his sword and spoke the command "Shine your light, Zangetsu", transforming his Zanpakto into the familiar man-sized cleaver. Swinging his sword using the cloth wrap, he activated Chouseki Hadou, charging his blade with raw spirit energy. Once the blade was fully charged, Ichigo swung his blade upwards using the wrap. The cloth extended more than a hundred feet, carrying Zangetsu all the way to the bottom of the platform. The blade penetrated through the steel and lodged firmly in the walls surrounding dome.

"Grab hold of me Rukia, we're going straight up!" Ichigo exclaimed. Rukia wrapped her arms tightly around Ichigo's chest. With one hand around Rukia's back and the other holding the wrap, Ichigo Shunpo-ed upwards, winding back the cloth wrap as he went. Within seconds he had touched his foot upon the cold steel and hung upside down.

"Can you swing me to the right just a bit Ichigo?" Rukia asked.

"Sure thing," Ichigo obliged. He shifted his body weight so that Rukia's right hand was directly over the embedded platform hidden in the walls.

"Hadou 35, Kantsuu Kiri!" Rukia shouted. A foot long metallic drill sprouted from her hand and started cutting into the steel. Once it had penetrated through all of the layers of the wall, Rukia then moved the drill in a circular arc, creating a three foot wide opening in the platform itself. As soon as she was finished, the part of the platform she had cut open fell cleanly to the ground below.

"Is the hole big enough for us to fit through?" Rukia asked. "I don't think there's room enough for-" before she had finished speaking, Ichigo flung her right through the opening. He then swung himself into the opening, withdrawing Zangetsu as he did so. As he touched down on a solid floor, Rukia kicked him in the shin.

"Hey, what was that for?" Ichigo asked.

"Next time you do a stunt like that on me, give me prior warning!" Rukia scolded him.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry about that," Ichigo blushed embarrassingly. He returned his Zanpakto to its sealed state and sheathed it.

"Whatever, let's get to the throne room as quickly as we can," Rukia said. She and Ichigo started Shunpo-ing up a long flight of stairs from the base of the platform, arriving at a hallway filled with pillars, and going through a corridor with doors on both sides. At the end of the corridor was a bluish-grey steel gate that appeared to be locked. Ichigo and Rukia simply burst through the door using Soukatsui spells. Without breaking a stride they charged through the doorway-and stopped in their tracks. In front of them was the woman they had gone to Hueco Mundo and back to retrieve, and the one they and all of their nakama has sworn to rescue: Inoue Orihime.

* * *

She was wearing a sparkling golden dress studded with diamonds, a low cut strap that revealed some of her cleavage. Upon her head was a diamond and ruby etched golden tiara; long golden earrings dangled from her ears. She looked every inch like a royal princess, with a far more confident and elegant demeanor. Ichigo and Rukia were utterly stunned to see her like this.

"Inoue…" Ichigo stuttered.

"You've come at last, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime spoke in an almost condescending sort of way. "And I see you've brought Kuchiki-san along." Ichigo and Rukia hesitated in responding. They looked around and noticed the room they were in. It was an immense chamber, about two hundred yards in length and width. The floor was covered with an ornate carpet, a set of recliners lay on one side, with a desk, a piano and some drawers on the other. Meticulous paintings hung along all of the walls.

"Are these your living quarters, Inoue?" Rukia asked. Orihime didn't respond. "It's a nice place to live." Ichigo walked up to Orihime and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I'm glad you're okay Inoue. I was worried that Aizen brainwashed you," Ichigo said.

"Brainwashed me?" Orihime asked. She glared at Ichigo. "What are you talking about?!" In a shocking move, Orihime punched Ichigo in the face, knocking him to the ground. Ichigo managed to get up quickly.

"What was for Inoue? I thought we were nakama!" Ichigo exclaimed.

"Nakama? I have no right to call you and Kuchiki-san that, not after you betrayed me!" Orihime shouted. Ichigo was stunned at the ferocity of her voice. "I thought you were going to save me, right after Aizen-dono took me here. But you never came. For years I waited, wondering when you would come. I began wandering if you had forgotten me, or worse that you didn't care about me anymore. When Aizen-dono told me you had gone back to the real world and went into hiding, my fears had come true. You didn't care one bit about me!"

"That's not true Inoue! We were always thinking about you! If there was a chance to enter this realm before and rescue you, we would have," Ichigo realized his protest sounded hollow. He had forgotten about Inoue during the four years of exile; only after he fought Ishida did he remember his promise again.

"Ichigo, let me deal with Inoue," Rukia stood beside him. "Aizen's your number one priority right now. Pay him back for whatever he did to her."

"Alright, Rukia," Ichigo nodded. "Please try to save Inoue." He Shunpo-ed towards the other side of the room, but before he reached the door, his path was blocked by Orihime.

"Where do you think you're going?" Orihime asked. Her reiatsu began to increase.

"I'm going after Aizen, and I'm going to kill him," Ichigo replied.

"I won't allow you to go after him!" Orihime shouted. She summoned all six of her Shun Shun Rikka, surrounding herself with their presence. "Aizen-dono is my beloved king! If you try to do anything to him, I will kill you!"

Ichigo hesitated to respond. He sensed the killing intent in Orihime's reiatsu, but his moral conscience prevented him from even unsheathing his sword. Ichigo was saved from making a tough decision when Rukia suddenly plowed into Orihime, knocking her away from the door.

"Go Ichigo!" Rukia shouted. Ichigo nodded and Shunpo-ed through the doorway. As soon as he was gone from sight, Orihime kicked her hard in the face. Rukia skidded along the floor. She grunted in pain as she stood up again. She unsheathed her sword and held it with both hands.

"I really don't want to hurt you Inoue, but it seems I have no choice in that matter," Rukia said. Orihime got into an uncharacteristic martial arts pose, with her Shun Shun Rikka surrounding her.

"To tell you the truth, I hate you Kuchiki-san," Orihime said. "I've hated ever since you entered Kurosaki-kun's life. For ages I wanted to tell Kurosaki-kun how I felt about him, but I never had the opportunity to do so. Whenever you were around him, he never paid any attention to me. I wanted to be there beside Kurosaki-kun, to help him when he was down, but you stole that role from me!" Rukia was disturbed by Orihime's diatribe. She never thought Orihime hated her that much.

"You've got it all wrong Inoue," she stammered. "I never tried to steal Ichigo from you. He and I are just nakama, the same as for you and him."

"Liar! I know you're in love with Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime screamed. "Koten Zanshun, I reject!" She fired Tsubaki at Rukia, aiming for her head. Rukia dodged to the side, and gasped when she the damage that Orihime's attack had done. A three foot side section of the wall had literally been evaporated. All that was left was a black void.

"_Holy shit, if that had hit me directly, I'd be a goner,"_ Rukia thought to herself. _"Inoue's power has grown far more than I could have imagined. I can't afford to hold back against her_." Rukia held her Zanpakto upside down. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" With a flourish and a swirl her sword turned complete white and grew a dazzling tassel.

"So that's what your Zanpakto looks like," Orihime said. "It looks truly amazing. But, it's no match for my Koten Zanshun!" Orihime fired Tsubaki at Rukia again. Rukia swung her sword in a semicircular arc in front of her, shouting "Bakudou 81, Danku!" as she did so. She cast a white barrier with an eight-pointed star in front of her. Tsubaki slammed into the barrier and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Tsubaki, no!" Orihime shouted. Rukia lowered the Danku and Shunpo-ed right beside Orihime. She slashed at Orihime's waist. In an instinctive reflex Orihime shouted "Santen Kesshun!" and surrounded herself with a giant orange barrier. Rukia's sword bounced off the barrier, knocking Rukia herself away. Rukia landed on her feet and smiled at Orihime.

"You've gotten really strong, Inoue," she praised. "I'm proud of you. However, you haven't experienced as much combat as I have. That is a big weakness of yours. First dance, Tsukishiro!" Rukia swung her Zanpakto in a semi-circular arc in front of her, creating a ten foot wide white circle on the ground. She directed it towards Orihime, who jumped when she saw that the circle was freezing everything it touched. As soon as she was in the air, Rukia held her sword with both hands and began charging it with spirit energy. Streams of snow rose from the ground.

"Second Dance, Hakuren!" Rukia shouted. She fired a massive beam of ice at Orihime. Orihime tried to dodge it, but her right arm was frozen. The beam of ice knocked her backwards. This allowed Rukia to Shunpo beside her.

"Final dance, Shirafune," Rukia muttered. She hit Orihime with her extended Zanpakto's blunt end, sending her towards a wall. Before Orihime slammed into it, Rukia sheathed her released Zanpakto and slammed her palms together.

"Bakudo 62, Hyappo Rankan!" she shouted. A long blue spear extended from her hands. She threw the spear at Orihime just as she hit the wall. The spear separated into numerous glowing spikes and surrounded Orihime's body, pinning her to the walls.

"I, I can't move!" Orihime exclaimed. She struggled to break free, but the spikes had actually pierced her body. Rukia Shunpo-ed right in front of her.

"Let's not fight anymore Inoue," Rukia said. "Struggling will only make it uncomfortable for you. I know that Ichigo and I are ashamed to have not come after you sooner, but here we are now. We're not the only ones who've come. Ishida and Sado are here as well. And you know what, your former nakama from Karakura are waiting for you back in Soul Society. So once Aizen is defeated, we can all go back home and live happily ever after. What do you say, Inoue?" Rukia extended out her hand. Instead of warmly accepting it, Orihime slapped it away.

"Go back home? You must be joking!" She yelled. "This place is my home now! How can I live happily ever after when Karakura Town no longer exists, and all of friends are dead? I'd rather die here than be held prisoner in Soul Society!" With a deafening scream she snapped off the spikes one by one. Each time she did so, blood spurted from her body. As all of the spikes were torn off, Orihime fell thirty feet towards the ground.

"Inoue!" Rukia called out. She was too late to save her. Orihime landed on hard on her back. Rukia landed beside her and hastily checked her life force. It was non-existent. Then Rukia saw the weird position her head was in. _Oh no, she must have broken her neck!_ Tears started flowing down her face as she wondered how she was going to tell Ichigo. Before she could be any more depressed, Rukia sensed a sudden spike in reiatsu. It was coming from Orihime. A second later, Rukia was blasted into a wall by a powerful aura. She winced as her right shoulder was dislocated. When she opened her eyes, she was amazed at what she saw. Orihime was now on her feet, with a golden aura surrounding her body. The injuries she had suffered were now nonexistent. What was more, her face had completely changed. Despite the anger she was expressing towards Rukia and Ichigo, she was still at least the same recognizable Orihime. Now her facial structure was far more mature, resembling a much older woman instead of the girlish expression she once had. Her hair had lengthened and became wavy in appearance. Her pupils were now bright yellow.

"What's happened to you, Inoue?" Rukia asked. She didn't know what to make of her extraordinary new appearance.

"Who are you calling Inoue?" the woman who was once Orihime responded. Her voice was much deeper than Orihime's former voice, and had an air of regality about it. "I am the Sun Princess Amaterasu, and I have finally broken free of the accursed mortal shell that held me captive. As an intruder in my living quarters, I will exterminate you!" She pointed her right hand at Rukia and fired a beam of light. Rukia just managed to avoid being hit by the beam, but the resulting explosion knocked her to the ground. As she tried getting up Amaterasu shot a finger beam into her left knee. Rukia screamed in pain and desperately tried to stand up using her Zanpakto. Amaterasu flexed her aura, pinning Rukia down with her reiatsu. In an act of desperation, Rukia clasped both of her hands and pointed them at Amaterasu's face.

"Hadou 73, Souren Soukatsui!" she shouted. A giant blue blast of spirit energy shot out of her hands and engulfed Amaterasu. It demolished a hundred yard section of the opposite wall, and blew away all of the furniture in the room. What it failed to do was to injure Amaterasu; when the smoke cleared the Sun Princess emerged completely unharmed. Rukia could not believe her eyes.

"That was a captain level Kidou spell," Amaterasu said. "Very impressive indeed. But that's nothing compared to my Amatsu Tekkai." She held out both hands and charged them with spirit energy. "Ranpu Joukai!" She fired twin beams of intense solar radiation. Rukia managed to dodge the beams just before they hit the ground, but the sheer heat they emitted was enough to burn the skin around her ankle. She also left herself wide open for an attack. Amaterasu seized the opportunity to shoot beams from her eyes. They punctured Rukia's stomach, and slammed her against a wall. Rukia coughed up a load of blood and struggled to get up again. Amaterasu was hovering above her, an aura of light surrounding her head.

"Prepare to die, Shinigami," Amaterasu said. "You are just a lowly member of the Gotei 13, whilst I am the daughter the Spirit King himself. For even attempting to wound me, you deserve to be executed." Rukia spat on the floor.

"You have not idea do you?" she asked. "Your father's not the Spirit King anymore. Aizen is! He's holding your father in captivity!"

"How dare you say that?!" Amaterasu screamed. "My father is sitting on the throne at this moment!" She fired another beam at Rukia, but Rukia managed to block it with her sword. _This is bad, she has no idea what happened to the old Spirit King, or about Aizen. Inoue was far easier to handle compare to he_. Rukia sighed deeply.

"I guess I have no choice but to use it for the first time," she said. "I've trained long and hard to obtain it, so this will be a chance to test it in battle. Bankai!" An immense sphere of snow and white energy engulfed Rukia's body, obscuring her from view. The sphere glowed brightly, before slowly dissipating. When the smoke cleared, Rukia emerged completely changed. She was covered by a dazzling white robe, covering her Shinigami uniform. Her forehead was crowned with a white tiara, a white scarf hung around her neck, and her feet were now covered by elegant white shoes. Her body was surrounded by a dense shield of snow, and Rukia herself was standing upon a snow cloud several feet above the ground.

"This is my Bankai, Sode no Shirayuki, Yukihime," Rukia said. "It's a complete manifestation of my Zanpakto." She pointed her hands at Amaterasu and summoned a literal wave of snow. Amaterasu jumped into the air to dodge the wave, but Rukia used her hands to direct the wave to follow the Sun Princess. Amaterasu activated her Amatsu Tekkai again, surrounding herself in a barrier. After the snow had completely engulfed the shield, Rukia clenched her hands and made the snow harden into solid ice. She continued to apply pressure upon the barrier, hoping to crush Amaterasu beneath it. The effort was in pain, for Amaterasu blasted the snow and ice apart with a sudden flare of her reiatsu. The energy she expended to break out of it however, left her wide open for attack, an opportunity that Rukia seized upon. She pointed her right index finger at Amaterasu.

"Bakudo 61, Rikujokorou!" she shouted. Six golden rods slammed against Amaterasu's waist, immobilizing her.

"You bitch! Do you really think this will hold me down?" Amaterasu asked, furiously trying to tear the rods off.

"Of course. I know that Bakudou is easily breakable," Rukia said. "But it's given me enough time to do this!" Rukia hardened her snow into a swarm of icicles. With a wave of both hands, she sent them flying at Amaterasu. Unable to form a barrier in time, Amaterasu screamed in pain as dozens of icicles pierced her torso. She hastily tried to tear the icicles off, with torrents of blood spurting out of her body as she did so. Rukia walked towards her gathering a fair portion of her Bankai into a solid ice sword. She stopped a few feet away from Amaterasu and looked into her eyes.

"Why do you hate the Gotei 13?" Rukia asked. "You were once part of Soul Society too, and the Shinigami were your servants." Amaterasu glared at her.

"You want to know why? It's because Soul Society betrayed me and my family!" Amaterasu shouted. "You said it yourself; my family once lived in Seireitei and was served by the Shinigami. Back then, I could freely wander around the streets of the Spirit Court and intermingle with fellow nobility without restrictions. Nor did I was constrained in my responsibilities towards the general wellbeing of Soul Society. But then the Gotei 13 forced us to move to this wretched dimension, and when we were gone, they took over Soul Society and governed it like we didn't exist!"

Rukia wasn't sure if Amaterasu had a complete grasp of her sanity. Rukia was well aware of the assassination attempt on the Royal family, so for Amaterasu herself to forget was disturbing. _Surely she couldn't have forgotten the exact details of what happened back then_, Rukia thought.

"Amaterasu, what if I told you that the Gotei 13 were not responsible for what happened to you and your family," Rukia tried to reason with her. "They were forced to respond to an attempt on your life. In order to protect you, they had to move your family to this dimension."

"That's a pitiful excuse," Amaterasu shook her head. She the then closed her eyes and smiled. "Still, I find it funny that a mere Shinigami would want to convince me to change my opinion." As she spoke the wounds she had suffered gradually healed, due to the healing barrier she had erected around her body.

"Why wouldn't I try to?" Rukia responded. "Despite your current appearance, I know that a part of you still contains the soul of my nakama Inoue. Like it or not, she's become part of the very core of your being. Whatever my feelings for you are, I still want to save her." Amaterasu started giggling.

"That's so touching," she grinned. "But too bad. I've buried the human part of me deep into my soul forever. I'm going to do the same to you. Now taste the power of my ultimate attack! Taiyou Furea!" She placed her hands around her forehead and emitted an all consuming light that scorched everything in its path. Rukia hastily surrounded herself with a sphere of snow, and gritted her teeth as the heat from the light started burning her skin. With iron determination she slowly pushed forward, closing the distance between herself and Amaterasu. Using nearly all of her spirit energy, Rukia extended two massive tendrils of snow that slammed into Amaterasu, pinning her against a wall. The snow quickly hardened into solid ice, making it impossible for Amaterasu to break free.

"Urgh, what is this? I can't move!" Amaterasu exclaimed in frustration.

"Ultimate Dance, Howai Kangoku," Rukia explained. "This traps the enemy under a solid block of ice that is virtually impossible to break apart."

"No! I will not be defeated by a lowly Shinigami!" Amaterasu yelled. She opened her mouth and shot a powerful ray of light directly into Rukia's eyes. Rukia gasped as she was blinded by the sheer brightness of it. That did not stop her from fighting. Using her other senses, most importantly her reiatsu sensors, she Shunpo-ed towards Amaterasu. In desperation, Amaterasu intensified the ray, but Rukia ignored the painful brightness and plunged her ice sword into the Sun Princess' soul chain. In that very moment the energy of the light and the power of the ice merged together, triggering a cataclysmic explosion that engulfed the entire room, and reduced an entire wall to rubble. When the smoke cleared, Rukia was lying in the middle of a crater a hundred yards wide. Half of her top and most of her lower robes had been blasted off and her skin had been severed scorched. Blood trickled into a pool under her body. Using what was left of her strength, she crawled on her belly towards the body of Amaterasu lying face down a dozen yards away and turned her onto her back. Rukia noticed immediately that there was something different about her; Orihime's spirit had regained consciousness.

"Kuchiki-san?" Orihime asked. For the first time in years she looked into Rukia's eyes with a clear mind.

"I'm here Inoue," Rukia replied. "I'm glad you're back to normal."

"I'm so sorry!" Orihime started sobbing. "I've been such a big idiot! I've should have kept my trust in you and Kurosaki-kun to come and rescue me, and not listen to Aizen's lies. I can never forgive myself for the hurt I've inflicted upon you!" Touched by Orihime's show of emotion, Rukia wrapped her arms around her head.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Rukia consoled her. "Ichigo and I have been fools as well. We shouldn't have waited as long as we did." She stared into the doorway that Ichigo disappeared through. _I hope you're alright, Ichigo_, she thought to herself.

* * *

Ichigo burst through a set of heavily reinforced steel doors and found himself in the middle of a truly gargantuan chamber. From one end to another the entire 'room' was more than five hundred yards across, and was roughly circular in shape. A huge domed ceiling covered the chamber, making it appear like the interior of a temple. Lavish red, gold and white curtains draped from the walls, alongside several large paintings depicting mythical scenes from Soul Society's history. In the middle of the chamber was a rectangular table, about forty foot long and ten foot wide. Two dozens seats surrounded it. The table was dwarfed however, by the flight of steps that lay beyond it. Each step was nearly a hundred yards across, and like a stairway to heaven, the hundred or so steps led to a raised platform. Upon that platform were two ornate chairs, sculpted entirely in gold, with arcane markings and jewels engraved upon all sides.

What attracted Ichigo's attention however was the man who was sitting upon the chair in the middle; the man who was responsible for the horrors that Soul Society and the real world had suffered in the last four years, Aizen Sousuke. He looked even more pompous than the last time Ichigo had seen him. A golden cape hung over a set of expertly crafted robes, pure white in colour. A golden crown studded with a radiant diamond rested upon his forehead. His slicked back hair and calm, supremely confident look had not changed one iota since the day of his ascension.

"Well, well, at last we meet again, Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo," Aizen said. He stood up from his throne and took off his crown.

"Substitute Shinigami? Sorry, that moniker is totally outdated," Ichigo remarked with a sly attitude. "Didn't you see my new clothes?" Aizen raised his eyebrows slightly as he began walking down the steps.

"I see. The Gotei 13 have saw fit to promote you to the highest echelons of Soul Society. What a wonderful achievement," Aizen pretended to congratulate Ichigo.

"Thanks for the compliment. Just to let you know, I've taken over as captain of the 5th division." Ichigo's statement made Aizen grin slightly.

"Ah, how ironic. Have my shoes been too big for you to fill?" he asked. "I wonder what's happened to my beloved Hinamori-kun. I hope she's doing alright." Ichigo spat on the ground in disgust.

"Filling your shoes my ass. Shinji was a far better captain than you ever were. And as for Hinamori, she's been moved to Hitsugaya's division," Ichigo replied. Aizen regarded his response with a slight amusement.

"So, Hinamori-kun is in the hands of Toshiro. Just as I expected," Aizen closed his eyes and smiled. "Still, I'm surprised you know what happened to my incompetent former superior. Does that mean he also told you of my past history?"

"Indeed he did, and I must say, after hearing everything Shinji and Urahara-san revealed to me about you, there's no way I'm going to let you live, you despicable monster," Ichigo glared at Aizen, with pure hatred in his eyes. Aizen however, regarded Ichigo's threat with mere indifference.

"I can see why you would think of me this way," Aizen said. "Urahara and Hirako must have told you a biased account of my actions, in order to make you hate me. After all, you are nothing more than a pawn that they have used to fulfill their own grand plans."

"You're wrong," Ichigo spoke with a strong conviction in his voice. "Shinji and Urahara-san didn't just use me. They helped me because they knew I was the one who could change Soul Society for the better. Without their help, I couldn't have gotten his far, but you're mistaken if you think I didn't choose to come here from my volition. I didn't need their words to make me hate you even more. The pain and suffering you've inflicted upon my nakama is enough reason for me to kill you!"

"My, my, how stubborn of you," Aizen shook his head. "If you knew me better, you wouldn't be so quick to assume that I am just a mass murderer or a tyrant. The truth is, my motives are the same as yours. We both want to change Soul Society and the universe, for the better. I too, thought the laws of Soul Society were unjust and that the system itself was corrupt. Just like you, I set about overturning the rules of Soul Society." Aizen finally walked to the bottom of the steps. "Becoming the Spirit King is only a means to an end. If you were in my position, I'm sure you would be thinking the same way."

"Well then, you don't know much about me do you?" Ichigo asked. "It's true that I fought against the laws of Soul Society, but I never sought to completely overturn it and remake it as I saw fit, as you have done. If my motives are the same as yours, then surely the means I used to achieve those motives couldn't be any different from you!" Shortly after he finished speaking, Aizen started to laugh.

"Such an interesting fellow! I can see why Urahara and Shinji sought to use you. Your very existence challenges the nature of Soul Society itself," Aizen said. He pondered for a moment, and then he extended out his right arm. "Why don't you join me and stand by my side? Together, we can rule the universe together. My former subordinate Ichimaru Gin has gone and killed himself, so the spot it vacant for someone like you to assume his place as my loyal servant." Ichigo was utterly repulsed by the idea. He spat on the ground right in front of Aizen's feet to show his disgust.

"I'll tell you where I'll be standing. Between you and the rest of humanity," Ichigo said. "I'm not going to let a maniacal being like you get away with all of the atrocities you've committed!" At last, the expression on Aizen's face was something other than mere amusement. Now he was annoyed by Ichigo's attitude.

"Don't kid yourself, boy. Do you really think you have the power to stop forces that are beyond your comprehension?" Aizen asked. "I've crushed Soul Society beneath my feet, destroyed its noblest defenders. The brainless humans of the real world worship me as a god. What chance do you have against me, when not even Urahara Kisuke could stop me from carrying out all of my plans?"

"You want to know what kind of power I have? It's the power to befriend, sympathize and protect," Ichigo said. "Unlike you, I don't treat everything else as a mere pawn that can be disposed of without thought. My nakama have placed their trust in me, and I've sworn that I won't let them down. Urahara-san thought the same way. He entrusted me with the mission to bring you down. He's sacrificed everything to bring me to this point. And you know what Aizen? He's outsmarted you every step of the way. He exposed your conspiracy for the rest of Soul Society to see. He ensured that you wouldn't get your hands on the true Royal Key. And when you ascended to this realm, he made sure that you were trapped here forever. Together with the rest of Soul Society, he and I have taken away everything you worked so hard to achieve."

By now, Ichigo could see that Aizen was seriously angered by his comments. He detected a sharp rise in Aizen's reiatsu, as Aizen sought to crush the life out of Ichigo with mere spiritual pressure alone.

"Like I said boy, don't kid yourself," Aizen growled. "You and the Gotei 13 are like ants beneath my feet. The death of one prominent hero would be all it takes to break the spirit of your pitiful rebellion. And mark my words your death will be at my hands!!" Aizen flared out his reiatsu to maximum capacity, covering the entire chamber in a stifling spiritual pressure. Ichigo however, was hardly fazed at all. He exerted his own reiatsu to match Aizen's, and then unsheathed his sword from his scabbard.

"I'm not going to die so easily, Aizen. I've come here to defeat you, and I swear to my nakama that I will!" Ichigo shouted. He Shunpo-ed towards Aizen.

* * *

Ichigo vs Aizen, the ultimate final battle begins!

Notes: Sorry for the delay in getting the chapter up. I was on holidays for three days and sort of lost track of the story towards the end. Ichigo and Aizen's conversation was especially difficult to write. The central focus of the chapter was of course the battle between Rukia and Orihime. This battle is essentially split into two halves. The first half involves Rukia trying to save Orihime. The second half begins when Amaterasu awakens.

Kantsuu Kiri: This is the only Hadou I created myself in this chapter. Its name means Penetrating drill in Japanese.

Orihime/Amaterasu: Orihime's powers have been substantially boosted, but they largely remain the same, the most notable being Tsubaki's increased effectiveness. Amaterasu is based on the Japanese Goddess of the Sun. I've tried to keep as closely to the mythology as possible, not only in the way she seemingly arises from Orihime's body, but also in the nature of her powers, which are all light based.

Amatsu Tekkai: This means Heavenly Barrier in Japanese. It is Amaterasu's version of Orihime's Santen Kesshun shielf, albeit far more powerful.

Ranpu Joukai: This means Light of Heaven in Japanese. It is one of the beams Amaterasu fires from her hands.

Taiyou Furea: This means Solar flare in Japanese. It is Amaterasu's most powerful attack, which basically channels the energy of the sun itself.

Sode no Shirayuki, Yukihime: This is Rukia's Bankai. Many readers will find it extremely contraversial, but I feel that I've presented a logical and consistent growth in Rukia's power throughout the story. Yukihime means White Princess in Japanese, and Rukia's Bankai transforms her into a literal avatar of Shirayuki herself, complete with white robes and sleeves. The snow she controls in Bankai can be formed into number of shapes, including icicles, a sphere of ice and an ice sword.

Howai Kangoku: This is Rukia's most powerful attack, given the moniker of Ultimate dance. It basically imprisons an enemy under a sheer volume of snow that hardens into ice, making it impossible for them to break out.

Ichigo/Aizen's convo: I intended this conversation to pick up the plot threads from Shinji and Urahara's monologues, and obviously set up the impending fight, but I'm not sure if I executed it correctly. I had to rewrite the convo many times, because Ichigo and Aizen both kept getting OOC. I hope I've made their dialogue seem natural and within character.

Finally, a word of thanks to everyone who has posted reviews so far. You have stuck with me all the way, and I can gurantee that the next chapter will truly blow all of you away, :)


	38. Chapter 38: Eclipse of a Dream

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach Fan story: ****After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: The final assault on Aizen's throne has begun. After Urahara crashed the phoenix into the citadel, Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida, Sado, Ryuken, along with the 5th division charged up the tower. Sado and the 5th division stayed behind to fight Hotei, whilst Renji and Lisa led their division to the bottom of the citadel and fought the Tsukuyomi, brother of Amaterasu. As Ichigo and the others reached the top of the citadel, Ishida and Ryuken stalled for time against Amaterau's older brother Susanoo, allowing Ichigo and Rukia to escape. The two of them reached the roof of the citadel, only to giant fortress floating above them. Ichigo and Rukia infiltrated the base of the fortress and headed towards the throne room, only to be confronted by a vengeful Orihime. Rukia offered to stay behind and rescue Orihime's soul, allowing Ichigo to go on ahead. Just as Rukia was about to force Orihime into submission, the dormant spirit of Amaterasu took control of her body and returned to full power. Rukia had no choice but to unleash the power of her Bankai and in a titanic struggle subdued Amaterasu and brought Orihime back to her senses. During that time, Ichigo finally confronts Aizen in his throne room, and after Aizen fails to sway Ichigo's allegiance, the two of them begin the ultimate battle…Chapter 38: Eclipse of a Dream

* * *

Ichigo swooped in towards Aizen, holding his sword with both hands. With both of them exerting their spiritual pressures upon each other, Ichigo slashed at Aizen's right shoulder. In a titanic clash of reiatsu, Aizen blocked the sword with his right hand, causing a shockwave that spread outwards to cover the entire chamber.

"What's wrong, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Aizen asked. "Can't you cut me with your sword?" He grinned as his hand gradually pushed Ichigo back.

"Bastard!" Ichigo shouted. He Shunpo-ed behind Aizen and slashed at his left shoulder. Aizen quickly raised his left hand to block the sword. Ichigo followed up by lashing out with his left leg, aiming for Aizen's head. Aizen easily ducked to the side, and with his own left leg kicked Ichigo in the stomach, sending him flying into the air. Ichigo quickly did several cartwheels and stopped himself from flying any further with his feet. Channeling reiatsu to his feet, Ichigo flew towards with his sword thrust out. He narrowly missed cutting Aizen's cheek. The move however, left him wide open and Aizen seized the chance to grab hold of his left leg.

"You should have watched your footing!" Aizen shouted. He swung Ichigo around by his leg multiple times before he threw him towards the entrance doorway. Ichigo quickly landed on the ground again and skidded right into the central table, tearing it in half. He was hardly fazed by the crash and flew at Aizen again, but this time, he tried mixing it up by firing an unspoken Byakurai spell at Aizen's face. Aizen easily dodged the weak lightning bolt, and anticipated where Ichigo was going to be. As Ichigo thrust at Aizen's waist, Aizen sidestepped his move and then kicked him hard in the back. Ichigo was sent flying in the other direction again. _Damn, I need to think of a new strategy_, he thought. A bright idea came into his head. He quickly thrust his sword into the ground and then started to spin around the hilt. After several spins he launched himself at Aizen, aiming to kick him in the head with his feet.

"Useless," Aizen smirked, ducking down to let Ichigo pass over him. Ichigo wasn't finished yet. He extended out his hand with pure reiatsu force alone retrieved his sword and in a single stroke sliced off part of Aizen's cape. Aizen glanced as the severed part of his cape descended to the ground. He smirked in amusement. Ichigo panted as he stood up again.

"Well, well, it took you that long just to land a hit on me," Aizen said. "Why are you holding back? Surely you don't hope to defeat me with a mere unreleased sword."

"I could ask the same question of you," Ichigo responded. "You've been fighting with your bare hands so far, and only employing Hakuda against me. Are you taking me so lightly that you refuse to even draw your sword?" Aizen closed his eyes and smiled.

"Of course. I've only been toying with you so far. The last time we fought, you couldn't even cut my finger. I doubt much has changed since then," he said.

"I see. Then I guess it's time for me to prove you want," Ichigo smirked confidently. "I've become exponentially stronger since then. I'll force you to draw out your sword with just my Shikai. Shine your light, Zangetsu!" He raised his Zanpakto over his head and changed it into its familiar meat cleaver shape. Aizen was amused at Ichigo's release.

"So, you're able to release your Shikai by calling its name. It appears you have mastered how to control your reiatsu," he commented. "Still, that won't help you one bit." Ichigo didn't bother replying. Instead he instantly Shunpo-ed out of Aizen's view. Aizen looked around trying to find where he was. He sensed a massive reiatsu source appear behind him. With a sudden reflex he unsheathed his sword and blocked a powerful downward strike from Ichigo. The two blades clashed in a shower of sparks, causing shockwaves to ripple across the chamber.

"Ha, I've made you draw your sword with one strike!" Ichigo laughed. Aizen's confident grin had disappeared. He charged reiatsu in his left hand and punched Ichigo in the stomach. Ichigo was sent flying backwards and skidded along the ground for several feet before he quickly got back up again.

"Play time is over. I've gone easy on you so far, just to test how strong you've gotten. Now I will show you no mercy," Aizen laid out his threat.

"Bring it on then," Ichigo grasped Zangetsu with both hands. "Show me what you've got." The two of them Shunpo-ed towards each other and clashed swords again, triggering another huge shockwave. Then they exchanged several blows before Ichigo tried slicing at Aizen's head. Aizen parried his sword to the side and then thrust his sword at Ichigo's eyes. Ichigo desperately tried to dodge it, but Aizen managed to cut a long gash across his left cheek. Ichigo jumped backwards, blood flowing down his face. _Damn, his sword's too quick for me. I can't afford to attack him up close._ After a few seconds of thought, he fired a Getsuga Tensho directly at Aizen. Aizen easily blocked it with his sword, the blast not even powerful enough to push him back.

"Is that all you've got, Kurosaki Ichigo?" Aizen asked.

"Of course not!" Ichigo shouted. He Shunpo-ed behind Aizen and fired another Getsuga Tensho at Aizen's back. Aizen quickly Shunpo-ed out of the way as the two blasts collided in a massive explosion. He reappeared some distance in the air. As Ichigo paused to get his breath back, Aizen charged reiatsu in his left hand.

"Hadou 63, Raikoho!" he shouted. A massive yellow blast of spirit energy shot out of his hand, aimed directly at Ichigo. Ichigo allowed the blast to get near him, and then swatted it into a wall. Aizen watched as the blast impacted the wall in another large explosion. He looked down and saw Ichigo swinging his sword around at rapid speeds. _His spiritual pressure is increasing at a rapid rate. What is going on?_ Aizen thought. As the spirit energy in Zangetsu reached maximum capacity, Ichigo stopped spinning and Shunpo-ed in front of Aizen, thrusting at his chest. Aizen blocked Ichigo's strike, but Ichigo anticipated his move.

"Chouseki Hadou," Ichigo said. A powerful beam of energy erupted from the blade, pushing Aizen backwards and slamming him into a wall in another explosion. Ichigo quickly landed on the ground and waited for Aizen to climb out of the crater in the wall. A minute later, Aizen landed on the ground several feet away from Ichigo. He was visibly bleeding from the forehead, much to Ichigo's delight.

"What's wrong? I thought you were going to show me no mercy?" Ichigo taunted Aizen. "So far you haven't offered much resistance."

"Indeed, it seems I have underestimated your power," Aizen conceded. "I was hoping to enjoy cutting you down slowly. But now I shall end it with one strike." He held his sword in front of him, upside down. Ichigo instantly recognized what his next move was going to be. _Shit, he's going to release!_ He quickly closed his eyes.

"No one has escaped from my absolute hypnosis, and neither will you. Shatter, Kyouka Suigetsu!" His Zanpakto emitted shimmering ripples of light and air that surrounded Ichigo. Then in a sudden move, Aizen Shunpo-ed right through Ichigo, and sliced down his right shoulder. Ichigo gasped in pain as huge amounts of blood spurted out of his body and splattered on the ground. He thrust Zangetsu into the floor to stop himself from falling. Aizen noticed what Ichigo had done.

"It appears that you've closed your eyes to avoid seeing my release ceremony," he commented. "A logical thing to do for someone who hasn't fallen under my spell, but, one that robs you of your greatest sense. Now you're effectively handicapped." Ichigo was still panting heavily. He knew that he couldn't fight Aizen with just his Shikai and avoid being hypnotized at the same time.

"I guess I have no choice then," Ichigo took off his captain's haori and threw it onto the ground. Then the pulled Zangetsu up and held it with both hands. "Bankai!" An intense aura of black reiatsu surrounded his body, obscuring him from view. Aizen sensed Ichigo's spiritual pressure rise sharply. When the aura disappeared, Ichigo was standing in his Bankai long coat and wielding a slender black nodachi with a manji cross guard. "Tensa Zangetsu." Aizen was thoroughly amused.

"Bankai, eh? You've increased your reiatsu, but what good will that do you if you need to see me to keep track of my movements?" he asked. "A few seconds is all that it takes to have you under my spell."

"I'm well aware of your Shikai's ability," Ichigo said. "Shinji and Urahara told me about it. As long as I avoid direct eye contact with your Zanpakto, your absolute hypnosis has no effect on me!" Ichigo flew at incredible speed towards Aizen, who held his sword upside down again.

"It's futile to escape my hypnosis, shatter…" before Aizen finished speaking, Ichigo Shunpo-ed behind him and slashed at his neck. Aizen quickly turned around and tried to block it, but the force of Ichigo's swing was enough to push him backwards. Aizen skidded along the ground for a dozen feet before stopping. Ichigo however had managed to get right behind him again.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo shouted. He fired another powerful energy blast at point blank range. Though Aizen blocked the blast with his sword, it was still powerful enough to send him flying into the air. Aizen eventually crashed through the roof of the chamber itself. Ichigo flew up into the still smoldering wreckage and out through the roof. He was confronted with a crystal clear blue sky-and Aizen just about to release his sword. _Oh shit!_ Ichigo quickly closed his eyes again, but this made him drop his guard. Aizen swooped in and landed a powerful slash against Ichigo's sword, sending him falling back towards the floor of the chamber. Before Ichigo crash-landed on the ground, he did a quick somersault and landed on his feet. With a massive reiatsu push that sent shockwaves radiating across the chamber, Ichigo flew towards Aizen again. This time, he Shunpo-ed right through Aizen before the latter even had a chance to speak his release command. Ichigo then extended the chain from the hilt and swung Zangetsu over his shoulder. After several swings the spirit energy inside the blade was at maximum power. Ichigo threw his sword directly at Aizen, who calmly raised his sword to parry it. Just before he could do so, Ichigo released all of the spirit energy in one gigantic Chouseki Hadou. The powerful screw beam slammed into Aizen's chest and sent him crashing through the roof and down onto the ground below in another huge explosion.

Ichigo quickly Shunpo-ed to the ground and walked towards the crater that Aizen had made upon landing. He waited for the dust clear in order to assess how much damage he had inflicted. _That last blast had to have hurt him_, Ichigo thought. Suddenly a maniacal laugh echoed throughout the cavernous chamber.

"You sure are one persistent rat, Kurosaki Ichigo," Aizen said as he walked through the smoke. He was bleeding down the left side of his face, and the Chouseki Hadou had severely burnt his waist. "Only two other people have pushed me this far: Shigekuni Yamamoto Genryusai and Hirako Shinji. They too somehow found a way to get around my absolute hypnosis. It mattered little though, for both of them were destroyed by my next move. Bankai." Aizen let go of his Zanpakto, causing it hover in the air. It started spinning around rapidly and emitted dozens of blinding rays of light. Ichigo quickly covered his eyes with his arms, fearing that it was another mass hypnosis technique. He sensed an incredible rise in Aizen's reiatsu, and somehow felt the space around him warp and tear. After the spike in reiatsu died down, Ichigo opened his eyes again, and was astounded at what he saw. He was somehow stuck in a vast hallway, surrounded by giant mirrors. Each of these mirrors was at least a hundred feet tall and even the ceiling was covered by mirrors. Everywhere Ichigo looked, he could see reflections of himself staring back at him with the same bewildered expression.

"What the hell is this place?" Ichigo asked himself. "I was sure I avoided seeing Aizen's full release. Did I somehow get hypnotized?" Just then Aizen's maniacal laugh echoed throughout the hallway.

"You must be wondering why you're trapped in what appears to be an illusion, despite not even seeing my full release," Aizen explained. "That is because this isn't an illusion. This hallway I've trapped you in is my Bankai, Ho-ru no Kagami, Kyouka Suigetsu. Unlike my Shikai, you cannot escape it. Its effect works even if you try to avoid seeing the release. Once an enemy's trapped inside, there's no way out. Only two people have ever seen it. Neither came out of it alive." Ichigo was searching frantically for any signs of Aizen, trying to track down where his voice was coming from.

"Show yourself!" Ichigo shouted, his voice echoing through the hallway. "I know you must be hiding somewhere. Come out so I can see your face!" A second later, ghastly faces of Aizen appeared in nearly all the mirrors.

"You wanted me to show my face?" Aizen asked in a mocking voice. "I'm here, there, I'm everywhere. Which one of me is real? I dare you to cut me down!"

"Fine," Ichigo grunted in frustration. He targeted the mirror closest to him, slashing down the left side of the Aizen in the mirror. In a shocking surprise, Ichigo's left side burst open, causing torrents of blood to spurt out and splatter everywhere. Ichigo screamed in pain and fell to his knees. He gazed at the 'Aizen' he had supposedly attacked and then at the wound he had just suffered. _No way, I couldn't have!_ He thought to himself.

"I'm sure you realize what has happened to you," Aizen explained. "Each of my mirrors carries a powerful damage transfer effect, meaning any attack an enemy inflicts upon them is directed back on the attacker with double the damage. It is impossible to physically destroy them. Yamamoto and Shinji both killed themselves in a vain attempt to destroy this hallway." Ichigo took in Aizen's spiel as he recovered his breath. _I see, so that's how it goes. Aizen must be standing outside this fake dimension,_ Ichigo thought. He tried punching at the face of another 'Aizen' and as he predicted he received the full force of his punch and was knocked backwards. Ichigo stood up again and wiped the blood from his mouth. _There must be some way to escape from this place whilst Aizen isn't looking…that's it!_ Ichigo was astounded at his own ingenuity. He secretly grinned as he put his plan into motion.

A few seconds later, Ichigo suddenly vanished from sight. Aizen, who had maintained constant surveillance over the hallway, panicked in surprise.

"Impossible! He couldn't have disappeared!" Aizen exclaimed. He could feel no trace of Ichigo's spiritual pressure, nor could he see any traces of where he went. Aizen started walking around the glass hallway, checking to see if any breaches had been made. There were none. _He can't have escaped my Bankai…so he must still be inside it, waiting for me_. Aizen gnashed his teeth in frustration. He had no choice but to go inside his own hallway and hunt his target down. Unsheathing his bare sword, he opened a hole in the side of the hallway and entered. Aizen walked slowly into the hallway and started searching every possible corner. He couldn't use Kidou or any other physical attacks, for his Bankai's affect applied to him as well.

"Come out, Kurosaki Ichigo, we all must die some time!" Aizen shouted. His voice echoed throughout the hallway. All of a sudden a black blade pierced through his chest, only narrowly missing his soul chain and heart. Aizen gasped, spewing blood out of his mouth. In that instant, the hall of mirrors shattered into a million pieces and the throne room returned to normal. He turned around and saw Ichigo standing behind him.

"Sorry, I'm not ready to die yet," Ichigo taunted him.

"How, were you able to?" Aizen was about to ask, as Ichigo pulled out his sword, causing more blood to spurt out of Aizen's chest.

"It's simple really. I knew you were watching my movements the whole time, and I also knew that you wouldn't let me escape," Ichigo explained. "So I initially used a technique that my father Isshin taught me to surround myself with a complete cloaking barrier. Then I put on this…" Ichigo pointed to the black overcoat he was currently wearing. Aizen's eyes widened when he released what it was.

"That's…Urahara's reiatsu concealing cloak…" Aizen stuttered.

"You got that right. Urahara gave me it just before we came here, thinking I'd find it useful. With my reiatsu completely concealed and myself hidden from sight, all I had to do was to wait for you to enter inside your hallway in an attempt to find me. Of course, I knew perfectly well where you were, thanks to my Tengetsu Gaieshi. This is one of my Bankai's special abilities, and allows me to sense the true reiatsu of spiritual beings within a certain vicinity, and allows me to see just as well without using my eyes. In short, your Zanpakto has no effect on me now." Ichigo pointed his sword at Aizen's head.

Aizen however started laughing. Despite the blood flowing out of his body he couldn't stop himself from bursting into a maniacal laugh.

"You're far too arrogant, Kurosaki Ichigo," Aizen sneered. "Do you really think that a mere trick of yours can truly defeat me? I haven't even revealed half of my true powers. Let me show you a secret that no one, not even Yamamoto or Shinji, has seen…"

Aizen dropped his Zanpakto, causing it to fall to the ground. In fashion eerily similar to Byakuya's Bankai release, Aizen's sword merged with the ground, causing ripples of current to flow outwards as if the floor was made of water. A few seconds later, half a dozen blobs seemingly rose from the ground and started forming into figures resembling a human. Ichigo watched horrified as these figures gradually turned into near identical clones of Aizen, with the same hairstyle, facial features and clothing. Ichigo also noticed that each of the clones had the exact same reiatsu as Aizen himself.

"Behold, the ultimate power of Kyouka Suigetsu," Aizen said. "Kagami Kage. Each of these copies of contains the exact same reiatsu and abilities that I possess. They can act independent of my control. I used this ability to simultaneously build up my forces in Las Noches whilst keeping the façade of being a model captain."

"So that's your secret. I've always wondered how you were able to do your experiments in Hueco Mundo without Soul Society ever finding out. Even if you hypnotized them all, they'd still be suspicious of your actions. No wonder you were able to outsmart everything for so long." Ichigo's bravado belied his fear and nervousness at facing so many Aizens. _One Aizen was bad enough; now there are six_, he thought.

"Prepare yourself Kurosaki Ichigo," Aizen said. "Prepare to face your worst nightmare!" The six Aizens all rushed at Ichigo at once. Ichigo blocked the first Aizen's strike, and narrowly avoided being slashed by a second from behind. But the third one got him, stabbing Ichigo in the waist. Ichigo gasped in pain as blood spurted out. He ducked to one side and rolled along the floor before standing back up. As soon as he did so, he was shot in the back by another Aizen's Byakurai beam. Ichigo stumbled forward, and received a powerful kick in the stomach from a fifth Aizen. He was sent flying backwards, into the arms of the final Aizen, who kicked him upwards. Before Ichigo could stop himself in mid-air, the six Aizens all Shunpo-ed behind and slammed him into the ground. The impact created a thirty foot wide crater. When the smoke cleared, Ichigo struggled to get up, his face of bruises. Blood flowed down his forehead, waist and right arm.

As Ichigo climbed out of the crater, he froze in shock when he saw what the six Aizens were doing. Each one was charging spirit energy in their hands. Ichigo tried Shunpo-ing out of the circle, but before he could do so, one of the Aizens spoke "Bakudou 61, Rikujokorou." Ichigo was immobilized at the waist by six golden rods. _Shit, this is bad_, Ichigo thought.

"Hadou 90, Kuro Hitsugi." In unison the six Aizens all cast the spell upon Ichigo, enveloping him inside a gigantic black box. A second after he was completely surrounded, Ichigo felt millions of blades pierce his body, almost tearing him apart. As the void dissipated, Ichigo slumped to the ground, torrents of blood dripping down his body and forming into a pool beneath him. Aizen expressed a measure of surprise at his apparent survival.

"This is interesting," the lead Aizen walked towards Ichigo with an amused face. "I was sure that the Kuro Hitsugi would be able to kill you. Unlike my previous attempts, this time it was cast with full power. By living on, you've consigned yourself to a painful death." He raised his sword in the air, preparing to slice down on Ichigo.

"A mere blast like this isn't going to kill me!" Ichigo exclaimed, slamming his sword into the ground. "I've hardly used my full strength. Years ago, you mentioned the only way to become stronger after reaching your limits is to become a hollow. I'm going to show what it's like to achieve that power!" He placed his left hand over his head and summoned his mask. A second later he was engulfed by a gigantic black aura of reiatsu. His spiritual pressure skyrocketed, sending out a shockwave so powerful that it blew all of the Aizens dozens of feet away. The aura sphere expanded until it was over thirty foot wide, before it stopped growing. When the aura dissipated, Ichigo was standing upright, gazing at the Aizens with a half white/half black hollow mask covering his face.

"What an immense reiatsu…" one of the Aizens commented. "So this is what hollowfication looks like." Ichigo pointed his left index and middle fingers at one of the Aizens, and charged red spirit energy in his hands. A second later he fired a powerful cero that blew off the head of an Aizen clone. The other Aizens were shocked by this display of power. In unison they swooped in and tried slashing Ichigo all at once. Ichigo easily dodged their swings. He jumped up and kicked two Aizens in the head, and went into a rapid spin. As he spun he extended his and swung it by the chain, initiating Chouseki Hadou in the process. In a blistering series of moves, he literally scythed through the Aizens, tearing two of them to pieces.

As Ichigo stopped his spin, one of the Aizens pointed his left hand at him and shouted "Hadou 31, Shakaho!" A red blast of spirit energy shot out of his hand, and headed towards Ichigo. Ichigo raised his left arm and muttered "Bakudo 39, Enkosen." A Five foot long oval shaped white shield appeared from his arm, covering most of his body. The Hadou blast dissipated as soon as it hit the shield. Ichigo released the shield, and immediately Shunpo-ed behind the Aizen who had fired the Hadou. He charged a Getsuga Tensho in his Zanpakto and slashed through the neck of the Aizen clone, decapitating it. Just as he followed through with his attack, Ichigo sensed another Aizen coming at him from behind, preparing to fire a much bigger Hadou. Ichigo quickly jumped into the air, charged a Bala in his left foot and kicked the Aizen clone in the face. The clone's head was literally pulverized, as his body tumbled lifeless to the ground. Ichigo finished up by landing on the ground, staring at the sole Aizen remaining.

"I take it you're the real Aizen," Ichigo said with a degree of confidence. His voice now had a guttural resonance, as if he was speaking with two separate voices. Aizen clutched his shoulder and coughed up some blood. He was visibly sweating, having expended a lot of his spirit energy.

"Damn you," Aizen swore at Ichigo. "No one has ever pushed me this hard before."

"Is that a compliment or a warning?" Ichigo asked smugly. "As soon as I went Vizard, I noticed a key weakness in your Bankai's ability. As I multiplied my reiatsu many times over, I would have thought you'd raise your reiatsu levels as well. But each of your clones remained at the same spiritual pressure, and none of them pulled off particularly powerful attacks. That was when I realized that you split your spirit energy evenly amongst each of the clones. This capped their spiritual pressures to the same level you had before, thus they couldn't get any stronger. It was easy for me then to make my attacks strong enough to easily overcome the defences of your clones." It obvious from Aizen's angered expression that Ichigo had hit the mark. The calm façade that Aizen had presented throughout the battle so far was gone, replaced by the face of a deranged psychopath.

"This is it; you've angered me far too much!!" Aizen screamed. "I will tolerate your existence no longer. I'm going to destroy you, along with the rest of the King's Realm. I shall annihilate this universe, and remake it in my own image!" Aizen flew hundreds of feet into the air and sheathed his sword. Then he raised both hands into the air. Ichigo paused when he sensed a massive build-up of spiritual pressure coming out of Aizen's hands. A few seconds later a red ball of energy appeared above Aizen. It soon swelled up into gargantuan size, easily measuring two hundred feet across. Sparks of lightning shot from the surface of the ball, and the entire chamber started to rumble from the sheer force of it. _Shit, if that thing hits me, I'm going to be a goner,_ Ichigo thought.

"Goodbye, Kurosaki Ichigo!" Aizen shouted. "Hadou 99, Mokushi Tama!" He threw the red of energy down at Ichigo. As the giant sphere descended, Ichigo quickly thought up a plan. He slammed his sword into the ground and cut his right index finger with it. Then he used the blood that flowed out to charge a massive blue cero with both hands. For a few seconds he poured his spirit energy into it. As the giant sphere almost reached him, Ichigo thrust both of his palms out.

"Gran Rey Cero!" Ichigo shouted. A gigantic blue cero blast shot out of his hands. It slammed into the red energy sphere and started pushing it back. Aizen sensed what was going on and started poured more of his spirit energy into the sphere. Ichigo responded in kind. For what seemed like an eternity the two of them engaged a titanic duel of power. In the end, Ichigo's spirit energy reserves proved the greater and he was able to push the energy sphere right into Aizen's face.

"Impossible!" Aizen screamed as he was engulfed by his own attack. The Gran Rey Cero pushed the Mokushi Tama through the ceiling of the throne room and into the skies above. There the two blasts detonated, creating an explosion powerful enough to completely shatter the force field protecting the Royal Palace. The resulting fireball reached tens of miles into the air, and the shockwaves from the explosion spread out for hundreds of miles. In the aftermath of the explosion, Ichigo was left panting on his knees, exhausted from using up so much of his spirit energy. He peered up and saw that Aizen had crash landed onto his throne. As he struggled to get up, it was clear that he had escaped the brunt of the blasts, though his face and shoulders were now badly burnt. He stumbled around his throne chair, as if he was trying to find something.

"I won't accept this, I will not accept this!" he yelled like a madman. "Power! I need more power! Where is it? My treasure!" He fumbled around the throne room, before his hands grasped onto something. "Yes! There it is!"

Ichigo wondered what Aizen was doing, when Aizen stood up and held something in his hands. It was shimmering blue ball. Ichigo realized what the item was. _The Hogyoku! Why the hell does Aizen still have it?_ Ichigo thought in his head. _Wait a second…what is he planning to do with it?_ He didn't have to wait long to find out. A second later, Aizen jammed the fully released Hogyoku into his chest and screamed in pain. A giant black aura of reiatsu suddenly engulfed his body, and his spiritual pressure skyrocketed. Ichigo was forced to his knees, overwhelmed by the power he was sensing from Aizen. He looked on in pure horror as a hollow mask started forming upon Aizen's face. Within seconds his mask had fully formed. It resembled the grotesque face of a demon. Aizen's eyes had turned dark yellow, and a third eye had appeared on his forehead. He started laughing hysterically.

"Ha, ha, ha, what a great feeling!" Aizen exclaimed. "So this is what it's like to achieve perfect hollowfication! Now to test the limits of my new power!" He pointed his left index finger at Ichigo and fired a massive cero. Ichigo barely managed to dodge the blast by jumping into the air. He failed to anticipate the hollowfied Aizen appearing right in front of him. Aizen charged a bala in his right fist and punched Ichigo in the face, sending him flying into a wall. The resulting explosion carved a thirty foot wide crater. Ichigo slumped down from the wall and fell to the ground. His nose and cheekbones had been broken and blood was flowing freely from his nostrils. As he struggled to his feet, a large portion of his mask fell off, revealing his mouth and lower jaw. He looked up saw Aizen floating in the air, intoxicated by power.

"Yes! I have enough power to become a god at last!" Aizen laughed hysterically. Ichigo braced for another attack, when all of a sudden Aizen began to mutate. A black hole appeared on his chest, and white hollow skin started to accumulate on his body. Aizen screamed with almost bestial rage, as if his mind was being devoured by another being. Ichigo watched the entire scene shocked and confused. The mutated Aizen let out a tremendous burst of reiatsu and floored Ichigo, knocking him onto his back. When Ichigo got up again, he was astounded to see Aizen looking completely like a hollow, complete with a full mask, and a hollow hole. The new being raised its skeletal fingers and swiped at Ichigo. The force of the swing generated a series of powerful slashed that ripped through Ichigo's body, tearing through his bones. Ichigo screamed as torrents of blood spurted out. He collapsed onto his stomach, having lost far too much blood to even stand up. He struggled to look up as the being stretched its muscles.

"At last, I have finally taken control of this body," the being spoke in a harsh bestial voice. "For years I've had to put up with the absurd antics of this foolish human."

"What did you say?" Ichigo tried to ask. The hollow who was once Aizen stared at him with an eerie grin. Just then, Ichigo's inner hollow spoke in his head.

"**Surely you're familiar with this situation, Ichigo,**" the hollow said. "**The hollow used to be the horse to the one called Aizen, and now he has taken control and become the King.**"

"I see," Ichigo said. "That explains everything." The hollow Aizen clasped his fists and let out another blast of reiatsu, pinning Ichigo down.

"I can finally begin my own agenda," the hollow Aizen said. "Until now, I was content to help my useless king fulfill his own grandiose plans of becoming the Spirit King. I was the one who provided him with the insight on how to transmute Shinigami into hollows, and hollows into Shinigami. With my advice feeding his subconscious thoughts, my king was able to gather an army of hollows under his command, and proceeded to crush the forces of the Shinigami. But then, once he achieved his objectives, my king seemingly lost his will or ambition. He didn't go far enough for me. What I want is to remake the Universe as I see fit. I shall cause each of the dimensions to collide with each other and the resulting cataclysm will give birth to a new order where hollows shall reign supreme!!" The hollow started gathering spirit particles towards him, charging up for what appeared to be another massive attack. Ichigo felt utterly helpless. He wasn't quite sure how this new hollow Aizen was going to achieve his goals, but whatever he did, there was no way Ichigo could stop him anymore. _Damn, after everything I've fought for, does it really have to end here? _

"**What's wrong with you King? Are you going to give up right now? Have you lose your resolve, your instinct? Why did you fight so hard in the first place?" **Ichigo's hollow literally shouted in his ear.

"What does it mean to you, partner?" Ichigo croaked back. "If you want, you can just take over and become king yourself. I don't have the strength to resist anymore."

"**What are you talking about? I don't wish to kill you Ichigo. I'd rather stay a horse and see you live, than take control and watch you die! You and I are one and the same. If you die here, then I will cease to exist! Don't give me that crap about not having enough strength! Search the very core of your soul! Your inner power is there! Unleash it all! Your nakama are counting on you!"** Ichigo's hollow's words made Ichigo realize something. From the moment he became a Shinigami he had relied upon his inner resolve to win. From storming Soul Society and fighting against Kenpachi and Byakuya, to infiltrating Hueco Mundo and defeating Grimmjow and Ulquiorra, and then all the way until now. Through all of his victories he had relied on his will to protect and his nakama in order to push himself to new limits. This time was no different. _Rukia, Ishida, Sado, Renji, Isshin, Urahara, the Gotei 13, they've all sacrificed themselves to allow me to come this far. If I fall here, then I will jeopardize everything they've fought their lives for. The fate of the universe depends on me alone. I can't afford to die here!_

In that instant Ichigo's reiatsu literally exploded, creating a solid aura sphere around his body. Seemingly ignoring his near fatal wounds, Ichigo stood up and grabbed hold of Zangetsu. With half his mask remaining, he charged reiatsu below his feet and flew upwards like a rocket. The hollow Aizen, who had been busy gathering spirit particles, noticed Ichigo coming towards him.

"Puny human, you shall be crushed like an insect between my hands!" the hollow Aizen yelled. He extended his left arm and fired a gigantic cero at Ichigo. With one stroke, Ichigo deflected the cero to the side.

"This is the end, Aizen! I don't know what you've become, but your reign of tyranny ends here!" Ichigo shouted. "For the last two hundred years you've caused nothing but misery to the people of Soul Society and the real world!" Angered that his attack had seemingly been knocked away, the hollow Aizen extended his right arm and tried slashing at Ichigo with his claws. With a deft swing, Ichigo severed Aizen's right hand, causing him to let out a hollow shriek.

"I'm not going to let you get away with destroying this universe. The hopes and dreams of everyone rest upon my shoulders!" Ichigo shouted. He knocked away another cero fired by the hollow Aizen and closed in for the kill. "Rukia, Inoue, Ishida, Renji, Sado, Isshin, Karin, Yuzu, Urahara, Shinji, I swore an oath to them that I would defeat you and bring peace to this world and this oath I intent to fulfill!" Ichigo thrust forward his sword and stabbed the hollow Aizen right through the neck.

* * *

Aizen has finally been defeated! What is going to happen to Ichigo and the others now? Find out next chapter!

Notes: This is by far the longest chapter in the entire story. Though the basic outline of the Ichigo vs. Aizen battle had been planned out a long time ago, writing it was still difficult, mainly due to other events getting in the way. I really wanted for their struggle to be the ultimate battle in Bleach history. Whether or not I've succeeded depends on what you readers think. As always, there are a number of elements that need explaining.

Ho-ru no Kagami: This is Aizen's Bankai. Its name means "Hall of Mirrors" in Japanese. It's a logical extension of his Shikai's ability. The actual effect of his Bankai functions much like Voodoo magic, where any damage that is inflicted upon the mirrors is transferred to the enemy. However, Aizen cannot use his Zanpakto or any other powers whilst his Bankai is activated, and if Aizen is injured in any way, his Bankai contains a fail safe mechanism which causes his Zanpakto to return to normal.

Kagami Kage: This is Aizen's second form Bankai. It means 'Mirror Shadow' in Japanese. Whereas Ho-ru Kagami is an extension of his Shikai's illusion effect, Kagami Kage is an extension of Aizen's ability to fool other people with body doubles. In this case, this ability allows him to create a limitless amount of clones of himself, each one containing a portion of his spirit energy, but possessing the same amount of intellect. The clones are only restricted in their inability to release their own Zanpaktos.

Hadou 99, Mokushi Tama: This means Apocalypse Sphere in Japanese. In creating the most powerful Hadou, I imagined something similar to Frieza's death ball in DBZ. The resultant duel between Aizen's Hadou and Ichigo's Gran Rey Cero is pretty much a homage to the epic ki blast duels in DBZ.

Aizen's hollow: This needs a little explaining. Aizen had already experimented with hollowfication, but he failed to go all the way. His experiments left him with an inner hollow that secretly influenced Aizen's actions but remained undetected. As for the Hogyoku, Orihime had already released it prior to Ichigo's battle with Ulquiorra, and when Aizen captured her again, he took the released Hogyoku from her. When Aizen inserts the Hogyoku inside himself, the barriers holding his inner hollow back are broken, allowing his inner hollow to take control.

Last words: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It marks the climax of this fan story. There are two more chapters to go before the end, so I hope you all stick around for the conclusion!


	39. Chapter 39: Legacy of the King

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach Fan story: ****After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: After ascending all the way up the Citadel of Heaven and after Rukia stayed behind to confront a deranged Orihime, Ichigo finally reached the throne room and confronted Aizen. The two of them exchanged insults and threats, before Ichigo Shunpo-ed at Aizen, beginning their titanic battle. Ichigo got the upper hand after using his Shikai's abilities, but then Aizen released his Shikai. In an attempt to avoid the hypnotism, Ichigo tried fighting without using his eyes, but this put him at a serious disadvantage, until he released his Bankai. With his Shikai nullified by Ichigo's fighting style, Aizen revealed his Bankai at last, and trapped Ichigo inside a hallway of mirrors. Ichigo nearly destroyed himself trying to escape, until he devised a clever stategy that succeeded in severely wounding Aizen that caused the hwallway to shatter. Enraged at his inability to crush his enemy, Aizen demonstrated a never before seen power and created copies of himself. Ichigo was pummelled by the Aizen clones but he turned the tides by donning his mask and in an epic duel of energy blasts, Ichigo finally overpowered Aizen's most powerful attack. Aizen was far from finished however. Utterly insane, he drove the released Hogyoku into his body, and gained the same hollow powers as Ichigo. But Aizen's mind was quickly by his own inner hollow, who almost killed Ichigo before he revealed his own sinister goals for the universe. Knowing that everything was on the line, Ichigo drew upon his hidden powers and in one last desperate effort, drove his sword through the now hollow Aizen's neck...

* * *

Chapter 39: Legacy of the King

For a full ten seconds, Ichigo held his sword, lodging it in the middle of Aizen's neck. The hollow who had taken over Aizen's body continued staring at him with a baleful gaze.

"Darn…you…" it croaked. Ichigo withdrew his sword, causing a torrent of blood to splatter from the gaping hole in Aizen's neck. Like a banshee, the hollow screeched a horrible cry that nearly deafened Ichigo's ears as the mask and hollow skin that was covering Aizen began to dissipate. Within seconds, all remnants of the hollow was gone, leaving a defeated Aizen to hover briefly in the air, wallowing in despair, before he inevitably began falling to the ground. He landed hard on his back, a few feet away from the throne chair. A few seconds later the remaining fragments of Ichigo's mask shattered and fell of his face. Almost exhausted to the point of death and with his body covered in blood, Ichigo used all of his willpower just to keep floating in the air and observe Aizen's last moments.

"I, I can't die here!" Aizen cried in a voice that Ichigo found unusual. It sounded like the voice of a scared and cowardly man, not the voice of a tyrant who had brought the entire universe under his feet. Ichigo watched Aizen flip onto his stomach. With blood flowing down his throat and his right arm amputated, Aizen grasped the floor with his left hand, inching slowly towards his chair. Ichigo wondered what he was up to. Aizen reached the base of the chair and tried extending his left arm, attempting to grab what Ichigo recognized as the crown he was wearing before.

"My destiny…you will not take away…my…destiny!" Aizen sputtered, spewing blood from his mouth with every word. Just as his fingers touched the crown, Ichigo descended down and slashed him right down his back, cutting into his spine. Aizen made one last effort to grab hold of the crown, but only succeeded in making it fall from the chair. The crown dropped on the floor and rolled towards Ichigo. Ichigo crushed the crown with his right foot. He checked Aizen's body and sensed not even the faintest traces of reiatsu coming from it. Ichigo sighed in relief.

"At last it's over," he smiled. At that moment, he was seemingly overcome by his wounds and exhaustion, and fell onto his back, right beside Aizen's body. _Damn, looks like this is the end for me_, Ichigo thought. _I guess dying here, beside the man I defeated, wouldn't be that bad_. He almost lost consciousness, when he heard voices coming towards him.

"There he is! He looks seriously injured!" A woman's voice shouted.

"We'd better tend to him!" another woman's voice, slightly more high pitched, yelled out. The last thing Ichigo saw before he blacked out were the faces of two people crouched over his body…

* * *

Some time later, Ichigo opened his eyes again, and was taken aback by Rukia and Orihime crouching right over him.

"Kurosaki-Kun!" Orihime exclaimed in delight. Ichigo was both stunned and happy.

"Rukia, Inoue, you're both okay," Ichigo grinned. Rukia nodded.

"I'm glad you're still alive as well, Ichigo," she said. "When we found you lying beside Aizen, we both thought you were dead. Inoue managed to heal all of your wounds and restore your energy back to normal." Upon Rukia saying those words, Ichigo felt a spring in his body as he sat up.

"You're right…I feel as good as new," Ichigo said. "Thanks Inoue." Orihime smiled happily. Rukia and Ichigo turned their attention towards Aizen's body.

"Is Aizen dead?" Rukia asked, staring at Aizen's vacant face. Ichigo nodded.

"There's not a trace of his reiatsu left." The three of them stood up and inspected the almost completely devastated throne room.

"What do we do now? I bet everyone's waiting for us at the bottom of the citadel," Rukia said. Ichigo looked towards a section of the wall behind the throne chair. He could make out a definite indent and an outline.

"There's something suspicious about that wall over there…I'm going to check it out," Ichigo said. He walked towards the wall, with Rukia and Orihime following him. Upon reaching it, he discovered a strange symbol etched into the surface of the wall. He touched it with his hand. Within seconds the entire section of the wall lit up and shifted backwards before sliding behind another portion of the wall. Ichigo, Rukia and Orihime were shocked to discover what lay behind this secret wall. A frail old man, bound by his arms and legs, was crouched on the floor inside a very small compartment. He was covered with dust and soot, but beneath his dirty exterior Ichigo sensed a regal nature coming from him. He had long, flowing white hair similar in style to Orihime's, whilst his blue-grey eyes gave a hint of deep wisdom. Were it not for the worn out brown robes he was wearing, Ichigo could have mistaken him for a venerable noble of Soul Society.

"Thank you so much for rescuing me," the old man said in appreciation, as Ichigo lifted him up. "You wouldn't believe how long I've been stuck in this cell."

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked. The old man looked at him and smiled. Rukia observed his face closely, and a sudden realization dawned on her.

"You're the Spirit King Izanagi!" she exclaimed. The old man nodded with a smile. Ichigo couldn't believe his ears.

"Are you really the Spirit King?" he asked. The old man nodded again.

"Yes, I am Izanagi," he said. "After I was overthrown I was imprisoned inside this room, and barely given enough sustenance to stay alive."

"Just how did Aizen manage to overthrow you in the first place? All of your Royal Guards must have been loyal to do you," Rukia said. Izanagi sighed in regret.

"It's a very long story and even I'm not really sure how I was toppled from the throne so easily. I guess the ability of his sword must have had something to do with it."

"Oh yeah, absolute hypnosis," Ichigo remembered. "He must have used it to turn all of your Royal Guards against you." Izanagi nodded calmly.

"Even my owned sons betrayed me. How could I hope to fight against all of my former servants? Despite my own considerable powers, I'm still just another spirit," Izanagi sighed. "I'm not an all powerful omnipresent being. In fact, I was nothing more than a figurehead. Being trapped in that lonely cell made me remember the times I was just an ordinary person, before I ascended to the throne. You may not believe it, but there were moments were I wanted to die, to end my suffering. The only reason I've survived for so long was my faint hope that some day I would see my beloved daughter again."

Ichigo and Rukia were surprised by Izanagi's reflections. They did not think some one of the Spirit King's caliber would have lost hope so easily. Rukia whispered into Ichigo's ear, pointing to Orihime as she did so. Ichigo understood what she meant.

"Well your majesty, I'm happy to say that your wish has been fulfilled," Ichigo smiled. "Your daughter's standing right in front of you." He nodded at Orihime, who blinked in surprise. Izanagi looked closely at Orihime for a whole minute. Then he placed his hand over her head. In that instant Izanagi literally froze as the thoughts, history and consciousness of Orihime flowed through his head. He quivered with joy.

"Yes, you are right, boy," he began to laugh happily. "She is my daughter, no doubt about it!" He threw his arms around a still confused Orihime, who tried resisting his advances.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "Kurosaki-kun, who is this old man?" Her question stunned Izanagi, who couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"He's your true father, Inoue," Ichigo said. "The truth is you're the reincarnation of Amaterasu, who is the daughter of the Spirit King." Orihime trembled with anxiety as she stared at Izanagi.

"He's my true father?" she asked. Then she suddenly remembered how the dormant soul inside of her took control during her fight with Rukia. _So that's who my other half is…but how did I become like this?_ She looked at Ichigo, who looked at her with gentle eyes.

"I suppose you want an explanation," he said to both Orihime and Izanagi. "According to Urahara, when Amaterasu died in the real world, her spirit somehow joined the rest of the Sea of Souls and was reborn into the body of a human. Her powers and memories lay dormant within this girl, only to be awakened when Inoue came into contact with my overflowing spirit energy. As Amaterasu slowly regained her identity, Inoue became more powerful. Aizen apparently noticed this phenomenon and when he realized who Inoue really was, he decided to kidnap her and bring her here." When Ichigo finished, both Orihime and Izanagi were lost for words. It was the first time they had heard the true story about Amaterasu's death and rebirth.

"So, the person inside me, who came out and took control of my mind when I fought Kuchiki-san, is your daughter?" Orihime asked Izanagi. The old man nodded.

"I suspected something like this would have happened," Izanagi said. "Beings from the King's Realm don't disintegrate and become a part of the Sea of Souls like normal spirits do. Even if they do die, a part of them will always live on and be reborn in a new host body. Still, I never realized that she had been held captive in this palace all this time, right under my nose." Izanagi shook his head in disgrace. "It's my fault that all of this happened in the first place."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked. "My father was the one responsible for allowing your daughter to die, and Aizen was the one who brought her back here."

"You don't understand. Everything that has happened in the last two hundreds has resulted from an act of blind generosity on my part," Izanagi sighed. "I was the one who raised Aizen Sousuke into the man he later became."

"What?" Ichigo and Rukia asked, utterly stunned by his words.

"I met Sousuke shortly after he had befriended my daughter during a trip to visit the outermost Rukongai districts. It was the time before the Quincy wars, and the Soul Society had not seen conflict for a hundred years," Izanagi began. "Amaterasu stumbled upon a young man lying flat on the ground, half-dead and covered with wounds. In a behavior uncharacteristic of her at the time, she decided to take him back to the Royal Palace, at the centre Seireitei, and ordered the Royal physicians to heal him. By the time I found out about this, the man had already recovered and was being cared for by Amaterasu. I could have easily banished him back to Rukongai. After all, he was only one among many Rukongai citizens. But Amaterasu pleaded with me to spare him, so I allowed him to stay in the palace as a servant."

"This man your daughter saved…he was Aizen wasn't he?" Rukia asked. Izanagi nodded. Orihime was shocked to hear that her inner self had actually known Aizen all along. Ichigo and Rukia nodded to Izanagi to continue his story.

"Well, as the years passed, the young Sousuke matured into an adult and rose through the ranks of the household servant family. He always eager to please me and Amaterasu. He never failed his duties. I was so impressed with his work that I granted him peerage, allowing him to become part of nobility. Yet deep down, I should have known that there was something strange about him. He had the glint of ambition within his eyes, a desire to achieve something great. Being a household squire was not enough for him. It just so happened that around the time he became a squire, the Quincy Wars broke out, and inevitably our family was drawn into the conflict. Sousuke wanted to be released from his duties and fight in the front lines, but given that he wasn't a Shinigami, let alone an officer of the Gotei 13, I refused his request." Izanagi paused for a moment, allowing Ichigo, Rukia and Orihime to take in his words. Ichigo was astounded that Aizen's relationship with the royal family had been this deep.

"Please continue your majesty. What happened to Aizen after that?" Ichigo asked.

"Here's where it all went down hill," Izanagi explained. "After he was refused permission to fight in the air, Sousuke felt I had betrayed him. Perhaps back then he already had thoughts of ascending even higher into the ranks of nobility, and certainly the easiest way to that was to be acknowledged as a war hero. His heart became bitter and somehow he sought the help of a rebel faction within the Gotei 13 who had gratuitously extended the Quincy Wars for their own amusement. As the final peace treaties were signed with the remaining Quincy clans, this faction began to plot an attempted coup. Their main targets were the military council that was to become the Central 46 and the palace itself. Sousuke happened to the inside man tasked with assassinating me. When I confronted him, I was amazed he had trained by himself in order to acquire a Zanpakto, and had my personal Royal Guards not intervened, I would have been dead. After the coup d'état failed and the leading plotters executed, Sousuke apparently disappeared into the shadows. Neither myself nor Amaterasu ever saw him again, but shortly afterwards we were sent to this realm." Izanagi finished his story, and closed his eyes.

"So that's how it all went," Rukia said. "Aizen wanted to prove himself as a war hero and thereby attain an esteemed status in Soul Society. Did he have his sights set on your throne from the beginning?" Izanagi shrugged.

"Who knows? All I can say is Sousuke was perhaps the most skilled strategist and tactician in Soul Society's history. Has he chosen to walk the path of righteousness, he would have been hailed as the hero he wanted to be." He paused for a moment and looked at Ichigo, Rukia and finally at Orihime. Then he smiled.

"I suppose that is a long enough history lecture from me," Izanagi said. "Why don't we all go to the bottom of the citadel? I'm sure your nakama are waiting for you." Ichigo, Rukia and Orihime all nodded. They followed Izanagi to an eight-sided pentagram and stood in the middle of it. Izanagi began muttering in a strange language, making hand gestures at the same time. The pentagram glowed a bright yellow. Ichigo, Rukia and Orihime suddenly found themselves whisked into a kaleidoscopic dimension of colours for a few seconds, before they appeared again right in front of the moat. Almost at once they were confronted by a crowd of thousands of Shinigami. All ten of the Gotei 13 divisions were present, along with Ichigo's nakama.

* * *

"Ichigo! Rukia!" Ishida and Sado shouted. The two of them got up and were about to run towards Ichigo when they caught sight of the two other people standing beside them. One was an old man they didn't recognize. The other was…

"Inoue?" Ishida asked in disbelief. Ichigo and Rukia smiled back. Just then however, they noticed nearly all of the Shinigami around them had bowed down, in respect. Ichigo was puzzled at the reason for it, until he realized everyone's attention was focused upon Izanagi. To emphasize the point further, the nine other captains all stood up and walked within three feet of Izanagi before they bowed down again.

"It is good to see you again, your majesty," Isshin said humbly.

"Dad!" Ichigo exclaimed. Isshin gave him a sly wink.

"Ah, Isshin, I am delighted to see you too," Izanagi smiled. "As I am to see all of you gathered here, captains of the Gotei 13. Some of you have faces I still remember; whilst others may have been too young to have seen me. But all of you deserve my respect and admiration for coming so far and sacrificing your lives to rescue me. For that I shall extend my appreciation and gratitude for all of you."

"No your majesty, it is we who should thank you, just for being alive," Tessai said, presenting a small red box to Izanagi. "You and your daughter were our symbols of hope during those dark times." Izanagi thanked Tessai for the gift.

"There are more pressing matters to attend to, Tessai," Byakuya said, pointing at the large group of bodies piled up in the central courtyard. Ichigo and his friends followed the rest of the Gotei 13 to inspect the dead and the wounded. As he examined the bodies laid out on stretchers, his eyes widened when he saw the bodies of Urahara, Ryuken and Hiyori. He bent down and checked for any sign of a life force, but he found none.

"Damn, Urahara and Hiyori are dead," Ichigo gnashed his teeth in despair.

"My father sacrificed his life for me as well," Ishida nodded.

"They aren't the only prominent battle casualties," Hitsugaya said, appearing behind Ichigo. "Matsumoto's dead as well." There was a brief moment of silence.

"Did any other officers die during the battles?" Ichigo asked. The other captains shook their heads.

"We did lose hundreds of regular troops though, including those that fell into the moat and had their bodies disintegrated," Kensei said. "Unfortunately, their bodies couldn't be retrieved as the Sekki-seki fluid in the moat disintegrated them all." Ichigo clenched his fists. Though he knew that losses were inevitable, the news of them still hurt him terribly.

"What about the Royal Guards and their soldiers?" Renji asked. "Are they all dead? And most importantly of all, where's Aizen?" Ichigo and the other captains stared at Renji with confused faces.

"Aizen's dead Renji," Ichigo said. "I killed him with my own hands. If he was still alive I wouldn't have returned with the King and Inoue would I?" Byakuya, Isshin and Tessai all nodded.

"All of the Royal Guards have died from their wounds, unfortunately," Tessai said. "And nearly all of the Tengu, Akuma and Bakemono soldiers who were guarding the palace are dead, not including the large numbers we killed in the initial assault."

"Well, what should we do?" Love asked. "All of these bodies need a dignified burial."

"Wouldn't that take ages?" Rose responded. "We'll give proper military funerals to Urahara, Hiyori, Matsumoto and the Quincy, but the rest will have to be mass buried." As the captains discussed amongst themselves, Orihime walked beside Ichigo.

"Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said. Ichigo looked at her.

"What is it Inoue?" Ichigo asked.

"I can revive all of them," Orihime replied. Ichigo froze in shock.

"Are you sure? There are so many dead people. I know you can miraculously heal fatal wounds, but I'm not sure if you could restore the souls of those who have already lost their lives," Ichigo said. Just then, Izanagi walked beside Orihime, with a delighted smile on his face.

"Ho, ho, ho, you underestimate my daughter's powers," Izanagi laughed. "She has the power to restore any spiritual being or object back to its original state. As long as there is even a trace of their spiritual signatures for her to use, anyone who dies can easily be brought back."

"Are you serious?" Rukia, who had stood beside Ichigo, asked. "I'm still in doubt as to whether it's possible."

"Well, then, shall we demonstrate to these skeptics, Amaterasu?" Izanagi asked. He placed his hands upon Orihime's head, and sent a current of energy flowing through her body. In a single instant, the thoughts and memories of both her own past and Amaterasu's past were flashed through her head, and Orihime recalled something her true father had said to her many eons ago…

"_Now remember this Amaterasu. You cannot remain a spoiled princess forever. There will come a time when you will have to make a difficult decision; whether or not your life is worth more than the lives of others. When the day comes, you need to be ready, and be without doubts…" _As she recalled memories of a past life, Orihime started shedding tears. She solemnly walked into the middle of the pile of courtyard where all of the bodies had been laid in neat rows. After Izanagi ordered the other Shinigami to stand well clear of the courtyard, Orihime spread out her arms.

"Souten Kesshun," Orihime said, summoning Ayame and Shuno from her hair clips. "I reject!" Within a few seconds a gigantic semi-circular dome of energy, orange-yellow in colour, expanded to cover the entire courtyard, nearly five hundred yards across. Ichigo, Rukia, their nakama, and the Gotei 13 all looked on in astonishment as Orihime restored all of the bodies back to their original state. Ghostly spirits suddenly flew in and penetrated the dome. They circled Orihime once before each of the spirits entered a body. Within minutes, Orihime was finished. The healing dome dissipated as Orihime returned her fairies back to their hair clips. Then, in a miraculous moment, the thousands of bodies lying on the ground began to stir. None of the people standing around the courtyard could believe what they were seeing. Even Ichigo, Rukia, Sado and Ishida, who had witnessed the power of Orihime's healing many times before, could scarcely believe the miracle they were seeing, as thousands of people who were once dead now got up without a single scratch on their bodies.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya shouted, as he saw his vice captain stand up in a confused state. Ichigo watched as Kensei, Love, Rose, Lisa, Hachi and Mashiro rushed over to Hiyori's side.

"Dad!" Ishida exclaimed, running over to help his father stand up.

"What the hell happened to me?" Ryuken asked. "I thought I was dead."

"You were dead. Inoue revived you," Ishida replied. Ryuken looked at Orihime in shock. Finally, Yoruichi, Tessai and Isshin stood beside Urahara as he got up.

"How does it feel to be dead for good?" Yoruichi asked with a sly expression.

"What did you say?" Urahara asked, scratching his head in confusion. "I have no idea what happened after I passed out."

"Well, let's just say you were saved by Orihime," Isshin smiled. As Ichigo watched them trade laughs with each other, he noticed that the defeated Royal Guards had also been revived, and were just as confused about their current situation. Two in particular, got up and ran towards Izanagi as soon as they saw him.

"Father!" Susanoo exclaimed. "You're still alive!"

"Of course I was. And you should thank your sister for bringing you and your brother back to life," Izanagi said. Susanoo and his brother Tsukuyomi turned their heads and looked at Orihime, who was standing close to Ichigo and Rukia.

"Hey, how come she's standing with those peons?" Tsukuyomi asked.

"Don't tell me she still doesn't remember us," Susanoo gritted his teeth. He pulled up his sleeves and was about to walk over to Ichigo when Izanagi stopped him.

"Let her be Susanoo. Amaterasu's endured a painful rebirth, so she deserves to be around the people who guided her along the difficult path to recovering her true identity." Somehow his words were heard by Orihime, for seconds later, she started running towards the palace gates.

"Where are you going Inoue?" Ichigo asked. He quickly ran after her. Rukia, Ishida and Sado saw what was happening and followed right behind him.

"What's going on? Why is Inoue running away?" Ishida asked.

"I'd like to know why myself," Ichigo said. He Shunpo-ed in front of Orihime, who tried running in the opposite direction, but Ichigo managed to grab her hand.

"Let me go, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime exclaimed, struggling to break free.

"Not before you tell us why you're running away," Ichigo said.

"I don't belong here," Orihime started crying. "Nor do I belong to Soul Society, or the real world. I'm a person who shouldn't exist in this world! I've already seen how much you and the others have suffered because of me. And I also know the true reason why I was born in the first place! I'm ashamed to know that I was the one who allowed Aizen to succeed in his plans and caused such devastation! There's no way I can undo all of the terrible things I've done."

"Inoue…" Rukia sighed. She remembered what Amaterasu had said to her.

"Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san, the two of you were meant for each other. No matter how hard I tried, I knew there was no way I could ever win your heart, Kurosaki-kun. On the other hand, I don't want to rely on you, Kuchiki-san, Ishida-kun and Sado-kun anymore. For once, I want to do some thing on my own, and not be a burden on anyone." Orihime broke free of Ichigo's grasp and called out Tsubaki. She shouted "Koten Zanshun!" and literally opened a doorway between dimensions. Ichigo and the others were amazed at her ability. Orihime stood at the edge of the doorway and looked back on Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Sado for the last time.

"Goodbye everyone. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused," Orihime smiled. Then she jumped through the portal.

"INOUE!!" Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Sado all shouted in unison. They screams alerted the rest of the Gotei 13 and the Royal Guards, who scrambled after them. But they were too late, for as soon as the four nakama jumped through the doorway, it closed behind them.

* * *

Ichigo and his nakama reappeared in the skies high above Soul Society. They looked and gasped. Thousands of feet below them was the enormous blast crater that marked where the real Karakura Town once stood. Little had changed in the month or so Ichigo had last laid eyes upon it. Black smoke still rose from the crater, and the area surrounding it was covering with ash.

"Look, there's Inoue!" Ishida pointed. Orihime had already fallen thousands of feet and was closing in on the crater.

"What is she doing?" Sado asked.

"Don't tell me she's…" Ichigo realized what was going to happen. "We've got to stop her!" The four of them tried falling faster towards the ground, but it was too late. Orihime reached the event horizon of the crater and summoned Ayame and Shuno, surrounding the tens of miles wide crater with a gargantuan healing dome. As she reached the crater rim, her body disintegrated into nothing. Ichigo and the others were blinded by the most luminous light they had ever seen, as the healing dome expanded and radiated outwards. A few seconds later, the dome disappeared, and after all of them regained their eyesight, they were astounded to see the entire Karakura Town restored to its original state, as if nothing had ever happened to it.

"Incredible," Rukia said as they all touched the ground. "It's just like how I remembered it."

"I don't see any people," Sado said.

"They must have all joined the Sea of Souls already, so resurrecting would be impossible," Ishida pointed. Ichigo looked around everywhere.

"This can't be possible. I don't sense Inoue's spiritual signature anywhere," he said in despair. "She's really gone for good." It took all of his willpower to stop himself from unleashing all of the despair that had welled up inside of him. Rukia, Ishida, and Sado were similarly shell-shocked by Inoue's death. A few minutes later, ten portals opened in the sky above, and the rest of the Gotei 13, along with the Royal Guards, leaped out and descended towards the ground.

"Look, the others are coming down to join us," Rukia pointed. Ichigo and the others watched as the thousands of Shinigami landed inside the restored Karakura Town.

"What happened here Ichigo?" Isshin asked. "The entire city has been completely rebuilt from scratch, even though it had been eradicated from existence."

"Inoue did it," Ichigo replied. "She cast Souten Kesshun over the entire city and reversed everything that had happened to the city."

"Where is Inoue now?" Urahara asked. Ichigo hesitated, trying to think of the best way to express his thoughts.

"She no longer exists anymore. Her body was consumed by the radiation from the crater just before she finished restoring the city." Ichigo's comment shocked Susanoo and Tsukuyomi, both of whom rushed over and grabbed Ichigo by the collar.

"You lie!" Susanoo shouted at Ichigo. "Amaterasu can't be dead!" He was about to punch Ichigo in the face when Izanagi ordered him to stay his hand.

"Don't be hasty to come to an assumption. Watch and see. Something miraculous is going to happen," Izanagi said. True to his words, a few minutes later hundreds of golden feathers fell towards the ground and landed in a pile a short distance in front of the crowd. The feathers coalesced into a solid golden egg that started wobbling along the ground. Ichigo and everyone else looked on with curious eyes as the egg stopped wobbling and almost immediately swelled up until it was almost human size. A nest somehow grew around the egg, supporting it into an upright position. Then cracks started appearing along the egg's outer surface, from which radiant beams of light emerged. As the egg continued to crack, the incandescent light it emitted blinded everyone temporarily. A few seconds later, the blinding light disappeared and Ichigo and the others could finally see again. What they saw was something truly otherworldly.

Standing in the middle of the half-cracked egg was the most beautiful woman Ichigo had ever seen. With radiant orange hair, an elegant figure and nearly pearl white skin, she resembled a goddess in the flesh. She was clothed in nothing but a loose white robe. As she walked out of the broken eggshell, Susanoo and Tsukuyomi ran towards her.

"Sister!" the two brothers shouted. The reborn Amaterasu saw them and opened up her arms in delight.

"Susanoo, Tsukuyomi, it's so good to see you again!" she exclaimed, hugging both of them tightly. "I've missed you guys so much!"

"I'm glad you haven't forgotten your brothers Amaterasu," Izanagi said cheerfully, "But surely you haven't forgotten your old man, have you?" Amaterasu looked up and tears started welling in her eyes.

"Father!" She leaped into Izanagi's arms, embracing him tightly. After nearly a whole minute, the two of them parted, and Amaterasu looked around.

"Where am I? I've never seen this place before," she said. "Who are all of these people?" Izanagi was amazed at her daughter's apparent ignorance.

"My dear, you still have a lot to learn," he shook his head. "We are in Soul Society, and this is the city that you recreated with your powers just before your rebirth. The people around us are the Gotei 13, who I have to thank for rescuing me."

"Is that so? Well then, I should thank them myself," Amaterasu said. She turned around and stared at Ichigo and the others and bowed her head.

"Inoue…" Ichigo stuttered, but Amaterasu didn't respond to his call. Rukia, who was standing beside Ichigo, realized what had happened. _She's lost all trace of Inoue's identity_, she thought. Amaterasu finished bowing and stared at her father again.

"I've learned my lesson father," she said. "I'll never escape to the real world again. Let's all go home now."

"We will in due course, but first there's a matter to settle," Izanagi said. "The human who became your vessel after your first death sacrificed herself in order to bring you back to your original status. Have you forgotten about her already?" Amaterasu gasped, as past memories of her own life and Orihime's flashed through her head in an instant.

"You're right father, I learned a lot about the real world when I was sharing a body with her," she said. "Now that I am back in my true form, I don't want to lose those precious memories that I have gained."

"Then what are you going to do about it?" Izanagi asked. Amaterasu paused for a moment. By instinct she stared at Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida, and Sado, and was reminded of the deep bond Orihime had shared with them. She then looked at the city around her, and recalled Orihime's memories of Karakura Town. At last, she looked at the Gotei 13, and remembered the desperate struggles in Hueco Mundo and the King's Realm. When she was finished, she looked at Izanagi again.

"Father, I wish to leave my human host behind when we return to our realm," Amaterasu said. "She deserves to live her own life; one without my presence inside of her." Her words made Izanagi smile. He patted Amaterasu on the head.

"That's my daughter," he said. Amaterasu's body began glowing again, and Ichigo and the others watched in wonder as a portion of her spiritual body flowed out from her and began reassembling into an entirely new body on the ground. Within moments, the person was fully formed, bearing a striking resemblance to Amaterasu. The woman started stirring and opened her eyes.

"What happened to me?" Orihime's unmistakable voice asked. Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida and Sado all rushed towards her and helped her to her feet.

"Inoue!" they shouted in near unison. Orihime was almost lost for words

"You guys! What are you doing here? Is this all a dream?" she asked.

"No Inoue, you're alive again," Ichigo said. "She was the one who brought you back." He pointed to Amaterasu, who was smiling at her. A few seconds later, the bodies of Amaterasu, Izanagi, Susanoo, Tsukuyomi and the other Royal Guards became transparent and rose into the air.

"What's going?" Renji asked. His question mirrored the thoughts of the other Shinigami, as well as Ichigo's group.

"Take care, my other half," Amaterasu called out to Orihime. "You have your own life now, so enjoy it as much as possible." Orihime looked on in awe as the Royal family and their protectors ascended into the heavens and slowly disappeared.

* * *

Karakura Town has been restored to normal, and Amaterasu has returned to her original form. Aizen has been defeated at last and the balance between the realms has been corrected. Peace has finally come to Soul Society.

Notes: Sorry this chapter took so long. I experienced a lot of difficulties in writing it. At one stage I almost suffered from writer's block and couldn't figure out a way to conclude the chapter. The end result wasn't how I envisioned the story, but it was good enough to provide a decent closure.

The next chapter will conclude the fanstory, and to everyone who has read it and contributed reviews, I shall promise to give the story a grand send-off the likes of which Bleach has never seen. Don't miss it.


	40. Chapter 40: Under a Morning Star

* * *

Bleach Fanstory: After the War

**Bleach Fan story: ****After the War**

By Michael Xu

Initial Comments:

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo

This is purely a fan story and I don't own any of the characters in it, apart from OC I may create.

Summary

Aizen Sousuke has succeeded in creating the King's key, and has taken his place as God of all Dimensions. The Soul Society is in ruins, with Karakura Town completely obliterated. The survivors of Karakura Town and the Gotei 13 have retreated back to the real world, merging into normal society, in the hopes that one day; they may truly overthrow Aizen for good. The story begins four years later, with Ichigo continuing his double life as a substitute Shinigami.

Story so far: After a grueling invasion which so hundreds of casaulties on both sides, Soul Society finally defeated Aizen Sousuke and his Royal Guard, with Ichigo having the honour of killing Aizen with his own hands. As his hollow side dissipated, a dying Aizen made one last desperate attempt to hold onto his crown, but Ichigo finished him off, before falling unconscious. He was rescued by Rukia and Orihime. The three of them discovered the true Spirit King, Izanagi, imprisoned inside a cell. Izanagi told them the secret of Aizen's past and his descent into evil. Ichigo, Rukia and Orihime escorted Izanagi down to the bottome of the Citadel, where they discovered the rest of the Gotei 13 waiting for them. In a sudden turn of events, Orihime summoned the full extent of her powers and reveived everyone who had died, including the defeated Royal Guards. Then after opening a gateway to Soul Society, Orihime went through it and jumped down towards the remnants of Karakura Town. In a heroic sacrifice, she restored Karakura Town to its original state. Ichigo and his friends were too late to save her, but unbeknownst to them, the spirit of Amaterasu survived and was reborn in her original body. Izanagi reunited with her daughter, and after Amaterasu resurrected Orihime and gave her soul back, the Royal family and their guardians ascended to the sky. Peace had finally come to Soul Society...

* * *

Chapter 40: Under a Morning Sta

After the ten Gotei 13 divisions returned to Soul Society, things began to settle down. The six Royal Guards who had been imprisoned in the Maggot's Nest were allowed to return to the King's Realm, along with any Tengu or Akuma soldiers who wanted to follow them. Most of them went, but a fair number wished to rejoin the regular Shinigami corps. The newly restored Karakura Town was quickly settled by homeless Rukongai citizens, whilst most of the spiritually aware survivors from Tokyo City started enrolling at the Shinigami Academy. The thirteen divisions themselves were undergoing some major changes…

Urahara and Yoruichi followed Tessai to a secret room inside the former Central 46 chambers. As they reached a locked security door, Tessai pulled out a special magnetic key and scanned it through a barcode. There was a click, allowing Tessai to pull the door handle and enter.

"Why did you bring me here, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked.

"Just wait and see," Urahara replied. "I requested Tessai to do something special for me before I left for Hueco Mundo. They were standing in a storage room, with several large metallic cabinets lined up along the walls. Upon each of the cabinets was a number lock. Tessai unscrambled one of the locks and opened the cabinet. Inside were two man-size wooden boxes, almost coffin-like in appearance. Tessai took both boxes out and opened them. Yoruichi gasped in surprise when she was what was inside them.

"It's Jinta and Ururu!" she exclaimed. "You've preserved them this whole time?"

"Their gigais at least," Urahara said. "I kept their Gikongans with me during my four years of isolation." He took two green balls out of his pockets and inserted them into the mouths of the gigais. Within moments both Ururu and Jinta opened their eyes and blinked. The first thing they saw were the faces of Urahara and Yoruichi staring at them. At once Ururu jumped and wrapped her arms around Urahara.

"Kisuke-san!" Ururu cried. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too," Urahara smiled. Jinta did some stretch ups and searched frantically around the room.

"Where's my baseball bat?" he asked. "I desperately need to swing it!" He was so intent on finding his bat that he bumped into Tessai.

"Ouch! What was that?" he rubbed his head. He gulped when he saw Tessai peering down on him, like a giant.

"Are you looking for this?" Tessai asked with a fake malevolent grin. He handed Jinta a worn out baseball bat. "I've kept it in a safe location."

"Um, thank you, Tessai-san," Jinta said, his face all red.

"So that's what happened to them," Yoruichi started laughing. "You took their Gikongans out and told Tessai to hide them somewhere safe." Urahara let go of Ururu and told them to follow Tessai out of the store room.

"They are my children after all. I didn't want to put them in danger, yet I knew they couldn't stand losing me, you or Tessai. So I did what I had to do," Urahara said.

"So things about you have never changed, have they?" Yoruichi asked. Urahara grinned. The two of them exited the store room.

* * *

The official Senkaimon opened, allowing two figures to pass through. They were met by Shinigami from the first division. Upon, showing their passes, the two figures revealed themselves.

"Ishida Uryu and Yasutora Sado, reporting in from our reconnaissance mission," Ishida said, producing his official 'Agent of the Shinigami' pass. He, Sado and his father had all been officially sanctioned as agents working for Soul Society. They were allowed to come and go through a specially modified Senkaimon. Upon receiving clearance to enter Seireitei, Ishida and Sado were almost greeted at once by Orihime and Tatsuki. The two ladies were wearing standard Shinigami academy dress, with a white haori and a red hakama.

"Uryu! Sado!" Orihime called out. She ran up to Ishida and hugged him. "It's been so lonely without you."

"Huh? What's going on?" Ishida asked. "The two of you are wearing those academy outfits. Are both of you training to become Shinigami?" Orihime and Tatsuki nodded.

"We didn't feel like sitting around and doing nothing," Tatsuki said. "Anyway, what were the two of you doing down in the real world?"

"Oh, we were working with the second division to repair the damage to Tokyo City, which was almost destroyed during the recent Arrancar invasion," Ishida replied.

"Hey Tatsuki, have you seen Ichigo? I need to ask him something," Sado requested.

"You're looking for Ichigo? He's doing something with his father," Tatsuki replied. "I'm not sure what it is."

"Kuchiki-san's been busy too. It seems that all of the Shinigami are busy planning for something, but I don't know what," Orihime said.

"Hey Inoue, can you still use your powers?" Ishida asked. It took a few seconds for Orihime to realize what he was referring to.

"Um, I can only use them a little," she replied. "They're probably as strong as when I first awakened my powers."

"I see," Ishida said. _So Inoue's powers really were a legacy of Amaterasu…_

* * *

Ichigo gazed up at a rather worn down pair of wrought iron gates, some thirty feet tall. Though he imagined how splendorous they must been in their prime, right now both of the gates were covered with rust.

"What is this place, old man?" Ichigo asked Isshin, who was standing beside him.

"This is the former residential quarters of the Shiba family," Isshin replied. "Kukaku told me she and Ganju stopped living here after Kaien's death. Since then, it's fallen into a state of disrepair." He pushed open the front gates, revealing a desolate courtyard overgrown with moss and weeds. The various houses nearby were covered with dust and soot; some of the houses were seriously dilapidated.

"Are you telling me this is the place me and Rukia are going to live in?" Ichigo asked in disbelief. "I'd rather sleep in my division quarters."

"I know it doesn't look so inviting, but I can promise you that given a few weeks of renovating, we can restore it back to its original glory," Isshin said.

"By 'we', you mean you and me right?" Ichigo asked. He dreaded the prospect of doing months of backbreaking labour.

"Of course not. I'm getting a large bunch of those Tengu soldiers who are now working as laborers to do everything."

"Oh god," Ichigo slapped his face. "You're not serious right?"

"Don't worry about it. They'll do a fine job. Now, I didn't bring you here just to show you this place. There is something I want to give you," Isshin said. He led Ichigo to the largest building in the manor, an imposing ten storey tall castle-like structure. Upon entering inside, Ichigo followed his father into an old but still impressive looking living room. Isshin unlocked a man-sized cupboard, revealing a meticulously preserved set of robes. In addition to a standard black kimono and hakama, there was a golden haori embossed with the symbol of the Shiba clan-the swirling current, along its sides. Finally, there was a black rectangular shape hat with pleats and a horsetail at the end.

"Is this my wedding outfit?" Ichigo asked. Isshin nodded.

"This is the formal robe that was traditionally worn by the head of the Shiba family. I left it in here when I was promoted to the Royal Guards. Kukaku told me that Kaien never bothered wearing it. I want you to wear this on the day of your wedding; you're the head of the Shiba clan now," he explained. Ichigo flinched back in surprise.

"No way! I don't want to be the head of the clan!" Ichigo protested. "I'm a Kurosaki, not a Shiba! Why don't you be the head of the clan again?" Isshin looked at Ichigo and sighed deeply. Something was different about his reaction this time.

"It was my fault that the Shiba clan fell from grace in the first place; I don't deserve to lead it again," he said. "I've been a failure as both a leader and a father. I abandoned Kukaku and Ganju to a life in Rukongai after Kaien's death, I decided to hide like a coward when the Royal Guard was after me, and I failed to prevent your mother's death. If I was a man of your conviction, none of the tragedies that befell us would have happened. You're a better person than I am Ichigo, so I put my complete faith in you." Ichigo was stunned at his father's praise. He had no idea that Isshin had so little regard for himself. He thought deeply for a moment, and realized just how much responsibility was now upon his shoulders. As the hero of the Heavenly War, the onus was upon him to initiate the great changes to Soul Society. In addition, the future of the Kuchiki and Shiba clans depended on him.

"Alright, dad, I'll accept your offer," Ichigo said. "If nothing else, this outfit's going to look quite impressive when the big day comes." Isshin started laughing.

"Ha, ha, you still have the entrepreneurial streak about you, Ichigo," he smiled. Ichigo took the robes out of the cupboard and followed Isshin back towards the gates of the manor…

* * *

"Ouch!" Rukia shouted as she her waist was squeezed by a red string.

"Keep still Rukia-chan," Matsumoto said. "I can't get accurate figures of your measurements if you keep fidgeting." The two of them were standing in Rukia's dressing room, inside the Kuchiki Manor grounds. The room itself had been converted into an impromptu meeting room, with a sign bearing the words "Shinigami Ladies Association" nailed to the front of the door.

"Alright ladies, let's all watch Matsumoto-san measure Rukia-san's measurements!" The president of the association, Yachiru exclaimed. Rukia blushed in embarrassment. She had seldom attended the association's meetings, not only due to her lowly ranking, but also because of her extended missions to the real world. But being her promotion as a vice captain and the subsequent news of her wedding to Ichigo made her the star of the association. She was keenly aware that the other ladies in the association were watching her, giggling and sharing gossip at the same time.

"Ooh, I'm so excited about Rukia's wedding!" Kiyone exclaimed. "She's getting married to the famous Kurosaki Ichigo...who's so good looking! I wonder what it feels like to get married!" She continued to giggle until her mouth was covered by Isane's hand.

"Don't say such things Kiyone!" Isane scolded her sister. "Think how Kuchiki-san will react if she hears those things!" Kiyone nodded embarrassingly.

"Listen up girls!" Nanao, who was the vice president of the association, stood up from her chair. "There's a lot that needs to be done before the big day! Rukia's wedding dress needs to be made; we need to decide who the bridesmaid is going to be, along with the flower girls. Matsumoto-san has volunteered to take Rukia's measurements and send them to Seireitei's premier tailor, so that's one task down. Who else wants to volunteer?" Only Kiyone, Hinamori and Mashiro put their hands up; both of them wanted to be the bridesmaid. Nanao looked at the other ladies in the room; Nemu, Isane, Lisa and Hiyori did not seem interested.

"Hey, aren't any of you girls excited at the prospect of being Rukia's number one girl?" Nanao asked. She turned towards the president, Yachiru, who was busy sucking on a lollipop. "Urgh, we're going to need a straw poll to decide this!"

"Why don't we just ask who Rukia wants to be her bridesmaid?" Hiyori asked. "Ultimately it's up to her." Lisa, Isane and Nemu agreed with her. Kiyone, Hinamori and Mashiro however, were not so happy. They all looked at Rukia, whose face now bright red. Matsumoto finished taking all of her measurements, allowing her to finally put her Shinigami robes back on. As she dressed herself, Rukia was well aware that everyone was waiting for her to make a choice. She was reluctant to do so. _How can I choose between each of them? If I pick one of the girls, the others will be mad at me. Plus, I don't know any of them very well. _She thought to herself for what seemed like an eternity, before a bright spark appeared in her head.

"It looks like Rukia has made her choice," Hinamori observed. The Shinigami women all waited intently for Rukia to speak. Rukia hesitated to speak out.

"Um, sorry girls, but I've already made up my mind," Rukia said. "My bridesmaid will be Inoue Orihime." The other girls all looked at her in shock, unable to comprehend what she was saying.

"I know I've probably hurt all of your feelings by doing this, but Inoue has been the closest thing to a real nakama for me, and if anyone deserves to be the bridesmaid, it would be her," Rukia said. "In return, all of you can be my flower girls."

As the women of the Shinigami Ladies Association argued amongst themselves about who the chief flower girl was going to be, a shadowy figure was observing them from a gap in the ceiling.

"At last, I've finally found her…my goddess!" Kon screamed out in ecstasy. He crashed through the glass and dropped down below, causing all of the women to shriek in surprise. Upon seeing Rukia's chest, Kon dive-bombed straight at it.

"NEE-SAN!!" he shouted. Just as he was about to plant his face in her chest, Rukia punched him to the ground and then stepped upon him.

"Kon! What are you doing here!" she shouted, still freaked out about what had just happened. She continued to press hard upon Kon's head.

"Ah yes, Nee-san's face feels so good," Kon said in delight. It was only after a few minutes that he noticed the other women were talking about him. Kon looked up, and saw Matsumoto standing in front of him, her amble bosoms highly visible. Kon salivated at the prospect of seeing them again.

"That uniform is a dangerous weapon, Nee-san!" he shouting, jumping at Matsumoto. Matsumoto grabbed him by the collar.

"Hmm, I remember seeing you before," Matsumoto pondered. "Rukia, wasn't this the stuffed animal that used to be in Ichigo's house?" Rukia nodded.

"We left him behind during in Ichigo's real body, but it died when Tokyo city was attacked. I presume he must have wandered around Seireitei all this time," Rukia said.

"He can continue wandering for as long as he likes. Can I throw him out Rukia?" To Kon's utter dismay, Rukia nodded with a grin.

"NOOO!" he screamed as Matsumoto heaved him out of the room.

* * *

Halfway across Seireitei, in a conference room within the chambers of the Central 46, ten of the Gotei 13 captains had gathered together to discuss plans for the rebirth of Soul Society, drinking coffee, tee and sake as they did so.

"Has everyone got a drink?" Commander General Unohana asked the nine other captains. "First things first, where have Captain Kurosaki, his father and Captain Tsukabishi gone to?"

"Kurosaki Ichigo and his father are currently at the Shiba family estate," Renji replied. There was a brief stir amongst the captains, for they all knew about the upcoming wedding. Unohana then asked for the whereabouts of Tessai. Soifon responded.

"Tessai went with my vice captain Yoruichi and Urahara to do something," she said. "They'll be back soon."

"Thank you for reminding me, Captain Soifon," Unohana said. "I was going to discuss Urahara Kisuke's future status." There was a brief moment of silence.

"Well, Urahara did play a key part in the war, and it was because of his strategies that we achieved victory," Kensei said.

"Plus, he remained loyal to Soul Society even after he was banished," Love pointed out. The Vizard captains all had a great deal of sympathy for Urahara.

"What are you people saying? There is no place for a person like him in our ranks!" Mayuri shouted. "Are you implying that he should take my rank?" The other captains shook their heads.

"There's also the matter that he went AWOL to Hueco Mundo and allowed Karakura Town to be destroyed on his watch," Hitsugaya said.

"He had good intentions for doing so," Soifon objected. "The former Commander Yamamoto entrusted him to protect the Royal Key at all costs, and he achieved that goal."

"I have an idea," Kenpachi suggested. The other captains raised their eye brows. "Now that Karakura Town's been restored, who's going to manage it? Right now it's packed with Rukongai citizens."

"That's an excellent question, Captain Zaraki," Unohana said. "The status of Karakura Town is another matter that we need to deal with." After she finished speaking, the room was silent for a few minutes. Then Byakuya spoke up.

"Why not give Urahara Kisuke special jurisdiction over Karakura Town?" he asked. "We could give him authority over the non Shinigami allies we used during the Heavenly War." The Vizard captains, Soifon, Renji and Kenpachi nodded enthusiastically, but Hitsugaya and Mayuri were skeptical.

"Okay, perhaps we should adjourn this meeting for now and hold it later when the other captains are also present," Unohana said. All of the captains nodded, and so the meeting was dismissed. They left the Central 46 chambers, with the most important thing on their minds the upcoming wedding between Ichigo and Rukia…

* * *

Five days later, the big day had arrived. Ichigo woke up in his division office and quickly changed into his noble robes. He briefly wondered where Rukia was, until he realized she had been at the Kuchiki manor for the past few days.

"Man, I can't wait to see Rukia's face," he smiled. After he finished dressing, he exited the office was greeted by four white robed servants carrying an enclosed chair.

"Please step on Captain Kurosaki. We shall carry you to the Royal Sacred Spirit Shrine," one of the servants said. Ichigo nodded and got into the chair. After a rather uncomfortable hour of being carried around, Ichigo arrived at the front gate of the shrine. As soon as he stepped out he was greeted by literally thousands of people. Almost all of the Shinigami in the Gotei 13, the remaining nobles in Seireitei, and a large number of Rukongai folk had flooded the mile wide open area in front of the royal shrine. Ichigo was stunned at the reception he was getting. Numerous people screamed out Ichigo's name and called him 'Hero of Soul Society'. One girl even shouted out "Marry me!" to Ichigo. Fortunately for him, he was directed through the front gates and into the ground surrounding the shrine itself.

The shrine proper was an awe inspiring piece of architecture. A gigantic circular pavilion nearly five hundred yards in diameter, its roof was made out of tiles that were sparkling with pure gold. The walls of the pavilion were marble white in colour, with numerous pillars holding the structure up. A flight of ten broad steps led a thirty foot high arched entrance, and perched at the bottom of the steps were a set of four guardian dog statues. Ichigo stopped admiring at the shrine when he saw that all of his friends had gathered. The twelve other captains were all present, dressed in their ceremonial robes, which all patterns bearing their division flowers. They were accompanied by their vice captains, who also had ceremonial outfits on. In addition, Ishida, Sado, Urahara and his former friends from Karakura Town were also present, dressed in kimonos and yukatas.

"Ichigo!" Isshin shouted, running up his son. "Thank god you're here at last. We've been waiting ages for you to show up."

"Sorry dad," Ichigo rubbed his hair. "Where's Rukia? Is she still getting dressed?"

"Yeah. Even Byakuya hasn't seen what she's going to look like."

"Is that so? Well, I guess I'll have to wait for then," Ichigo smiled. He walked up the steps of the shrine, and saw Renji, who was wearing a pair of sleek sunglasses and a red bandana on top of his ceremonial kimono.

"Hey, Ichigo, how's it checking?" Renji asked in an attempt at Kansai dialect.

"Cut with the fake accent Renji," Ichigo said.

"Hey, you asked me to be the best man. I was only trying to chill with ya," Renji patted Ichigo on the shoulder. Ichigo smiled and gave Renji a light punch to the forehead. As he walked up the steps, he heard voices coming from behind.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime shouted.

"Nii-san!" Karin and Yuzu followed from behind. The three of them, along with Ishida, Sado and Tatsuki, caught up with Ichigo.

"Karin, Yuzu!" Ichigo exclaimed as his sisters hugged him.

"We've missed you Ichigo!" Yuzu started crying. Ichigo patted her on the head.

"I know. It's been hard on the two of you when we off fighting. But I promise now that I'll take good care of you," Ichigo said. He looked up and saw Orihime holding hands with Ishida, and Tatsuki standing alongside Sado.

"What's happened with you guys? It seems like you've gotten close to one another."

"Right on the jackpot," Ishida said with a sly voice, pushing up his glasses. "With you and Rukia getting together it was only natural that Inoue would turn to me."

"Ishida-kun's treated me very well since I got back from the King's realm," Orihime said with a happy voice.

"That's good to know," Ichigo said. He looked at Sado and Tatsuki. "Are the two of you involved with each other the same way?" Tatsuki shrugged her shoulders.

"We're not really that close to each other," Tatsuki said. "I'm still getting used to being dead, and Sado's a shy person, so for the moment we're just friends."

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure the two of you will be fine," Ichigo said. He left his friends and sisters for the moment and continued walking up the stairs. As he got to the front entrance of the shrine, he was greeted by two faces he didn't expect to see.

"Aren't you supposed to be the King's Realm?" he asked, as he saw the faces of Susanoo and Tsukuyomi standing in front of him. They were dressed in elaborate royal kimonos.

"We've all come down from the King's Realm to officiate this wedding," Susanoo replied. "My father is presiding over the ceremony."

"The King himself has come down?" Ichigo asked in shock. He had no idea that the occasion was so important. Before he could ask any more questions, he heard a blast of trumpets at the front of the gates. He turned around and froze in awe. A majestic white rectangular seat was carried by eight white robed servants through the gates of the shine. As the seat came in, it was flanked by eight female Shinigami officers dressed in pink, purple and red yukatas, carrying Sakura bouquets. As Renji, Isshin and Byakuya stood right beside Ichigo, with the remaining captains lining up behind them; they watched the seat move slowly up the flight of steps.

It finally reached the top, a few feet in front of Ichigo. The eight servants half-lowered the seat to the ground. Then from out of the seat, _she _emerged. Dressed in a pure white kimono with a hood over her face, Rukia resembled a stunning goddess. Her face, whitened with make-up, drew out her inner beauty. Her hair was bunched up two bright hair clips, and her eye lids were painted pink and extended outwards. Rukia directed her eyes towards Ichigo, her sheer joy at being together him with evident in her facial expression, even with the make up on.

"Rukia, you look so beautiful," Ichigo smiled.

"You look handsome yourself Ichigo," Rukia smiled back. The two of them held hands as they walked through the entrance. The interior of the shrine was a vast chamber, with black ceramic tiles covered with golden carpet running down the middle. Black pillars spaced in even rows and columns held up the interior dome. On both sides of the carpet were more than fifty rows of seats, upon which hundreds of invited guests and officials were already sitting. At the other end of the shrine was the main altar. It was rectangular in shape, ten foot long and made of white marble. Upon the wall in front of the altar was a giant ying-yang symbol, surrounded by a circle symbolizing the golden sun. Standing behind the altar was Izanagi himself, wearing his imperial robes, gold in colour with green dragons embossed upon it. He also wore a red crown with a golden jewel at the centre upon his head. Alongside him were all sixteen current royal guards, with eight on both sides. Ichigo and Rukia calmly walked up to the front of the altar, with Renji and Orihime directly behind them, followed by Isshin and Byakuya. Ichigo's sisters and Kukaku and Ganju formed the Shiba family delegation, whilst four relatives of Byakuya formed the Kuchiki family delegation.The king ordered Ichigo and Rukia to kneel down on the cushions in front of the altar.

"Are the two of you ready to begin the ceremony?" Izanagi asked. Ichigo and Rukia nodded solemnly. A gong was sounded, starting the formal wedding. Izanagi ordered the family members to stand facing each other, as he brought out an ornate scroll.

"Kurosaki Ichigo," Izanagi began. "Do you swear to serve as a loving and loyal husband to your beloved, Kuchiki Rukia, for as long as your souls are in existence?"

"I do," Ichigo nodded. Izanagi then turned to Rukia.

"Kuchiki Rukia, do you swear to be a dutiful and faithful wife to Kurosaki Ichigo for as long as your souls are in existence?"

"I do," Rukia nodded. Throughout the entire process, neither Ichigo nor Rukia looked at each other, but stared at Izanagi instead.

"You may now exchange the betrothal gifts," Izanagi ordered. At last, the moment had come for Ichigo to reveal the gift Byakuya had given him. He took out a small red box from his inner robes and opened it, revealing a diamond encrusted golden ring, engraved with the Kuchiki family symbol.

"Rukia, your brother wanted you to wear this," Ichigo said. Rukia was taken aback. Byakuya had showed the ring to her a few times, but she had no idea he had planned on giving it to her. She could barely contain her joy as Ichigo slipped it on her index finger.

"Thank you so much Ichigo. Now it is my turn," Rukia said. She pulled from her undergarments a two foot long black scarf, embossed with the Shiba family logo.

"This is the ultimate heirloom of the Shiba family. Your father asked me to keep it with me until today," she said as she placed the scarf around Ichigo's shoulders. After the exchanging of gifts was done, Izanagi allowed Ichigo and Rukia to kiss briefly. Then they were ordered to kneel upon the cushions as eight Miko maidens, all members of the Shinigami Women's Association, walked by with various cups and jugs of sake. Ichigo and Rukia were each handed three cups of different sizes. Ichigo took three sips from the smallest cup, and watched as Rukia did the same. They repeated the process with the other two cups. After that, family members on both sides were given cups of sake, which they drank whilst they faced each other.

When everyone had finished drinking, Izanagi ordered Ichigo and Rukia to come with him. They walked through a set of doors behind the altar and arrived at a quiet garden with a beautiful Sakaki tree. Ichigo and Rukia took a few twigs and walked up to another large altar where they placed them within another ying-yang symbol. As they finished doing so, they noticed that Izanagi and the sixteen royal guards had surrounded them. Ichigo and Rukia watched in awe as the bodies of the royal guards and the king himself turned ethereal and slowly rose up into the sky. Then under the glare of the sun another luminous shape appeared. A few seconds later the shape resolved into the serene figure of Princess Amaterasu. Amaterasu extended her hands, casting rays of light over Ichigo and Rukia's head.

"May the two of you be blessed for eternity," she smiled. As the rays of light faded, Ichigo and Rukia looked up and saw Amaterasu, Izanagi and the royal guards ascend into the sky above. Within a few seconds they disappeared.

"Wow, that was some spectacle," Ichigo said.

"It still feels like a dream to me," Rukia said. She turned and looked at Ichigo.

"I'm happy for this dream to last as long as possible," Ichigo smiled. The two of them embraced each other in a throe of passion, feeling each other's happiness. A few minutes later, they emerged from the altar again, and were taken aback by a chorus of applauses and cheers. All of their families, friends and acquaintances were filled with joy that the two of them were at last married.

"You did it Ichigo!" Isshin was actually crying. "My son has finally become a man! I'm so happy!" Ichigo gawked in surprise.

"Nii-sama…" Rukia tried to speak to Byakuya, but he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You don't need to call me Nii-sama anymore," Byakuya smiled. "From now on, call me by my real name." After Ichigo and Rukia slowly navigated their way out of the shrine, flanked by their friends and family, they stopped in their tracks as they saw the thousands of people lining the streets around the shrine, desperate to get a glimpse of the newlyweds. From this high up, Ichigo finally got the sense of how much his influence had spread over Soul Society.

* * *

Several hours later, Ichigo and Rukia, their family, nakama and fellow comrades of the Gotei 13, arrived at Seireitei's premier tea house. Over two hundred guests had been invited. Ichigo, Rukia, Isshin and Byakuya sat in the central table. Karin, Yuzu, Kukaku, Ganju, and the Kuchikis sat together in tables on either side. Renji, Orihime, Ishida, Sado, Tatsuki and Yoruichi, Urahara and Tessai sat in the next nearest tables. The rest of the Gotei 13 officers, along with Ichigo's former Karakura Town friends, sat randomly in the other tables.

A full course meal was served, cooked by the finest chefs in Soul Society. The meals and the party continued on through the night, with karaoke singing, dancing, musical skits, and Rukia showing off nearly a dozen different kimonos. Finally, after a lot of partying and sake, the guests finally started streaming out of the tea house. Ichigo and Rukia walked alongside their nakama.

"So Ichigo, are you and Rukia planning on going anywhere for your honeymoon?" Ishida asked. His question took Rukia by surprise.

"What? You've got to be kidding me!" Rukia exclaimed. "We have to get back to our divisions as quickly as possible.

"Don't worry about it. We have all the time in the world," Ichigo smiled.

* * *

At last, Bleach After the War has come to an end. This final chapter took me a long time to write, not due to writer's block, but also other commitments. It's been a long journey of more than 5 months, but I've finally completed this story. I thank everyone who has followed my story since it began and special thanks to those who have sent in reviews. Your contributions were most welcome.

I'll take a break from writing a for a while, but I do plan on writing sequels to this story, so be on a look out for them!


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